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NOTES 


(MdM 


sM^^am  ^®  'wwm  m®siA»si 


tNTENDED  TO  ASSIST 


STUDENTS  OF  THEOLOGY, 


AJ^D    OTHERS, 


WHO  B£AD 


THE   SCRIPTURES  IN  THE  ORIGINALS. 


BY  SAMUEL  H.  TURNER, 

Prof,  of  Bib.  Leai'n.  and  Interp.  of  Scrip,  in  the  General  Theological  Seminaty 
of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Church. 


JVEW-YORK: 

PRINTED  BY  T.  AND  J.  SWORDS, 

No.  99  Pearl-street. 

1824. 


•  a   .o 


^      •• 


TO  THE 

RIGHT  REV.  WILLIAM  WHITE,  D.  D. 

BISHOP  OF  THE  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

IN  THE  DIOCESE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 

AND  PRESIDENT 

OF  THE  TRUSTEES  OF  THE  GENERAL  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  : 

TO    WHOSE    EXTENSIVE    KNOWLEDGE,    SOUND    AND   DISCRIMINATING 

JUDGMENT,  AND  WISE  COUNSELS, 

OUR  CHURCH,  IN  THIS  COUNTRY,   OWES  A  DEBT  OF  GRATITUDE, 

WHICH  CAN  NEVER  BE  REPAID  ; 

WHOSE  UNAFFECTED  PIETY,  BENEVOLENCE  OF  CHARACTER, 
AND  URBANITY  OF  MANNERS, 
HAVE  SECURED  TO  HIM  THE  PROFOUND  RESPECT 
^  OF  ALL  GOOD  MEN  ; 

WHOSE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  CAUSE  OF  OUR  ZION, 

HAS  BEEN  PROVED  BY  A  LONG  AND  CONSTANT  ATTENTION 

TO  HER  UNITY  AND  PROSPERITY  ; 

AND,  FOR  WHOSE  UNIFORM  KINDNESS, 

THE  AUTMOUR 

IS  UNDER  OBLIGATIONS,  WHICH  CAN  NEVER  BE  FORGOTTEN  ; 

THE  FOLLOfVIJVG  PAGES, 

IN  THE  BELIEF, 

THAT  HOWEVER  SMALL  THE  OFFERING, 

IT  WILL  BE  FAVOURABLY  RECEIVED,  IN  CONSIDERATION  OF 

THE  MOTIVE, 

ARE  VERY  RESPECTFULLY  INSCRIBED, 

BY  HIS  MOST  AFFECTIONATE  SERVANT, 

AND  SON  IN  THE  GOSPEL  OF  CHRIST, 

SAMUEL  H.  TURNER. 


THE  FOLLOWING 


EXPLJU^ATIOJ^  OF  JLBBUEVIATIO^S 


OF  THE  NAMES  OF  AUTHOURS  AND  WORKS  OCCURRING  IN  THE  NOTES, 
MAY  BE  OF  USE  TO  THE  YOUNG  STUDENT. 


Breit.  Sept. 

Breitinger's  edition  of  the  Septuagint. 

Cast. 

Castalio. 

Chal.  Paraph. 

Chaldee  Paraphrase. 

Chrys. 

Chrysostom. 

Crit.  Sac. 

Critici  Sacri. 

Eras. 

Erasmus. 

Eus. 

Eusebius. 

Gries. 

Griesbach. 

Grot. 

Grotius. 

Herm.  N.  T. 

Hermeneutica  Novi  Testamenti,  by 

Morus. 

Jac.  Cap. 

Jacobus  Capellus. 

Kop. 

Koppe. 

Mid. 

Middleton,  on  the  Greek  Article. 

Oecum. 

Oecumenius. 

Orig. 

Origen. 

Park. 

Parkhurst. 

Phil.  Sac. 

Philologia  Sacra,  written  by  Solomon 

Glass,  and  newly  edited  by  Dathe 

and  Bauer. 

Rosen. 

Rosenmiiller. 

Schleus. 

Schleusner. 

Schoet. 

Schoettgen. 

Theod. 

Theodoret. 

Theopfi. 

Theophylact, 

PREFACE. 


In  making  publick  the  following  notes  on  the  epistle 
to  the  Romans,  it  is  proper  to  state,  that  they  were  not 
compiled,  originally,  with  a  view  to  publication*  They 
were  intended,  merely  to  assist  the  authour  in  his  private 
lectures  to  his  classes,  and  to  afford  some  facility  to  the 
student,  in  his  endeavours,  to  ascertain  the  true  meaning 
of  an  important  part  of  Scripture. 

It  is  proper  also  to  guard  the  reader,  against  the  ex- 
pectation of  finding,  in  these  pages,  a  complete  com- 
mentary. Neither  the  abilities  of  the  writer,  nor  the 
avocations,  in  which  he  is  engaged,  by  the  necessary 
duties  of  his  situation,  allow  him  to  attempt  such  a  work. 
He  hopes,  however,  that  the  student  will  not  be  disap- 
pointed, who  looks  for  nothing  more  than  the  titlepage 
promises :  notes,  intended  to  assist  him,  in  his  examina- 
tion of  the  original  epistle.  As  this  is  the  sole  object  of 
the  publication,  I  have  not  thought  it  necessary,  to  enter 
into  any  discussions  on  the  various  points  of  Theology, 
which  have  been  supposed,  by  their  advocates,  to  derive 
support  from  this  work  of  St.  Paul,  or,  by  their  op- 
ponents, to  be  satisfactorily  refuted  in  it.  Exegetical 
inquiry,  rather  than  polemick  disquisition,  is  contem- 
plated; and  such  inquiry  certainly  constitutes  the  best 
preparation,  for  forming  a  true,  and  well  supported  sys- 
tem of  Christian  Theolog}'. 


VI  PREFACE. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  remark,  that  these 
notes  are  not  offered  to  the  student,  with  the  view  of 
superseding  the  use  of  able  expositors.     On  the  con- 
trary, I  cannot  but  hope,  that  they  may  be  instrumental, 
in  leading  him  to  investigate  this,  and  other  parts  of 
Scripture,  by  the  aid  of  all  those  sources  of  information, 
to  which  he  may  have  access.     Some  of  the  most  satis- 
factory will  be  referred  to,  in  the  course  of  the  following 
observations.  Yet  it  can  hardly  be  too  forcibly  impressed 
on  the  mind  of  the  biblical  student,  that  the  most  import- 
ant of  all  the  principles,  which  have  been  laid  down  for 
the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  is  that,  which  makes  them, 
as  often  as  possible,  their  own  interpreter.     The  judici- 
ous and  well  informed  will  not  consider  this  remark,  as 
tending  to  sanction  habits  of  indolence ;  as  if  it  implied, 
that  the  study  of  the  Bible  could  be  successfully  prose- 
cuted, by  the  assistance  of  the  marginal  references,  which, 
large  indeed,  in  number,  but,  in  many  instances,  ex- 
tremely deficient  in  real  value,  from  the  want  of  true 
parallelism  in  the  marked  texts,  adorn  various  editions 
of  our  version.     By  making  the  Scriptures  their  own  in- 
teq^reter,  I  mean,  that  the  student  should  examine,  un- 
der the  guidance  of  the  best  principles  of  exposition,  all 
the  truly  parallel  texts,  in  the  originals,  and  arrive  at  the 
sense,  by  a  critical  study  of  each,  in  connexion  with  its 
context,  and  the  general  scope  of  the  work,  which  con- 
tains it.     In  the  use  of  these  notes,  it  is  therefore  parti- 
cularly requested,  that  the  passages  referred  to,  be  thus 
examined,  and  that  the  Hebrew  of  those  in  the  Old 
Testament,  be,  in  general,  compared  with  the  same  pas- 
sages, in  the  Alexandrine  version.   If,  by  such  a  process, 
the  progress  is  slow,  it  ought  to  be  recollected,  that  it  is 


PREFACE.  Vll 

also  sure ;  and  it  will  be  found,  that  such  a  study  of  one 
portion  of  Scripture,  will  reward  the  learner  with  no  in- 
considerable stock  of  information,  on  many  others :  for, 
as  the  same  general  system  is  maintained,  or  kept  in 
view,  in  all,  and  subsequent  writers  constantly  quote,  or 
refer,  or  allude  to  the  preceding,  there  subsists  a  neces- 
sary connexion,  which  makes  it  impossible,  to  be  tho- 
roughly acquainted  with  one  such  book,  as  the  epistle  to 
the  Romans,  without  acquiring  some  acquaintance  also 
with  various,  and  interesting  passages,  elsewhere  occur- 
ring, in  the  volume  of  revelation. 

Although  I  have  made  considerable  use  of  the  labours 
of  some  learned  criticks,  particularly  of  the  work  of 
Koppe,  a  free  translation  of  whose  prolegomena  is  sub- 
joined ;  yet  I  am  not  aware,  either  of  having  followed 
any  one,  with  implicit  servility^  or  of  making  use  of 
assistance  without  suitable  acknowledgments. 

As  the  authour  did  not  intend  to  write  a  commentary, 
it  will  be  found,  that  many  passages,  not  particularly 
requiring  illustration,  are  passed  over,  unnoticed.  Some- 
times the  meaning  is  expressed  in  a  paraphrastick  trans- 
lation ;  and,  in  the  notes,  brevity  has  been  particularly 
consulted.  It  would  have  been  easy,  to  swell  the  pam- 
phlet into  a  volume  of  considerable  size,  by  giving,  in 
each  instance,  the  passage  referred  to.  But  this  would 
have  increased  its  price  and  bulk,  without  a  correspon- 
dent advantage.  For  the  same  reason,  the  Greek  passages 
commented  on,  are  not  printed  in  full ;  the  first  and  last 
words,  or  parts  of  them,  only  are  given,  a  dash  being 
substituted  for  the  intermediate  terms. 

In  the  introduction,  the  notes  which  are  included  in 
brackets,  are  written  by  the  translator.    I  have  also  occa- 


VUl  PREFACE. 

sionally  availed  myself  of  the  same  mark  in  the  notes  on 
the  text,  to  distinguish  between  the  sentiment  of  the 
writer  quoted  or  referred  to,  and  any  additional  remarks. 
The  reader's  indulgence  is  requested,  to  any  inaccura- 
cies of  expression,  which  may  be  found ;  as  the  manu- 
script was  prepared  very  hastily  for  tlie  press,  the  first 
sheet  being  in  the  compositor's  hands  when  the  notes  on 
the  fifth  chapter  were  preparing.  The  references  will,  I 
trust,  be  found  to  be  accurate.  The  editbn  of  Schleus- 
ner's  Lexicon  on  the  New  Testament,  which  is  referred 
to,  is  the  fifth,  Glasgow,  1817.  Wahl's  is  a  new  work, 
printed  at  Leipsic,  1822,  with  the  following  title  :  "  Cla- 
vis  Novi  Testamenti  Philologica,  usibus  scholarum  et 
juvenum  Theologize  studiosorum  accommodata,  auctore 
M.  Christ.  Abraliamo  Wahl,  verb.  div.  apud  Schneeber- 
genses  ministro  primo."  The  reviewers  speak  very 
favourably  of  this  work,  and  a  translation  of  it  into 
English,  is  now  preparing,  at  Andover. 


INTRODUCTION 

TO  THE 
TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  LATIN  OP 

JOHN  BENJAMIN   KOPPE. 


Respecting  the  origin  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
and  its  condition,  at  the  time  when  Paul  wrote  this 
epistle,  much  information  cannot  be  collected,  either 
from  the  epistle  itself,  or  from  foreign  sources.  It  is 
certain,  from  the  universally  prevalent  method  of 
propagating  Christianity,  first  among  the  Jews,  and 
then  by  their  means  among  the  Gentiles,  that  the  Ro- 
man Church  consisted  originally  of  Jews,  to  whom 
others  of  different  extraction  were  gradually  added  ; 
new  branches,  as  it  were,  engrafted  on  the  parent 
stock.  The  probability  of  this  statement  is  evident, 
from  the  vast  number  of  Jews  residing  at  Rome,  and 
enjoying  the  favour  of  the  emperours,  and  partici- 
pating in  the  society  and  friendship  of  the  people. 
See  Joseph.  Ant.  xviii.  12;  Dio  Cass,  xxxvi. ;  Phil. 
Leg.  ad  Caium,  p.  568,  ed.  Mang. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  with  certainty,  who  were 
the  first  propagators  of  Christianity,  among  the  Jews 
of  Rome,  and  by  whose  exertions  it  was  disse- 
minated there.*  We  know  from  Acts  ii.  10.  that  of 
those  who,  on  the  first  and  solemn  feast  of  Pente- 

[*  Compare  Macknighl's  Preface,  Sect.  I.] 
1 


2        Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 

cost,  saw  and  heard  the  Apostles  under  the  influence 
of  the  Divine  Spirit,  some  were  Romans ;  and  it  is 
evident,  that  if  any  of  these,  influenced  by  the 
miraculous  nature  of  the  transaction  which  they 
had  witnessed,  received  the  Apostles'  doctrine,  and 
suffered  themselves  to  be  initiated  into  the  new 
religion,  by  the  rite  of  baptism,  they  might  have 
introduced  it,  upon  their  return  to  Rome,  among 
the  Jews  who  were  dwelling  in  that  city  The 
ancient  writers,  as  Irenteus,*  Eusebius,t  and  others, 
have  generally  stated,  that  Peter  himself  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  Roman  Church  ;  yet  their  account 
is  not  very  probable ;  as  Luke  does  not  mention 
Peter's  going  to  Rome,  and  in  Paul's  Epistle  no 


*  Adv.  Haer.  III.  i.  p.  199,  ed  Grabe.  "  Matthew  committed 
his  Gospel  to  writing,  while  Peter  and  Paul  were  preaching  the 
Gospel,  and  laying  the  foundation  of  the  Church  at  Rome."  [Also 
in  p.  201,  the  Church  of  Rome  is  spoken  of,  as  having  been 
founded  and  constituted  by  Peter  and  Paul.  Grabe,  in  his  note  on 
this  passage,  thinks,  that  the  difficulty,  arising  from  the  internal 
evidence  of  the  Epistle,  may  be  removed,  by  supposing  the 
Church  of  Rome  to  have  been  founded  by  St.  Peter,  whom  he 
considers  as  having  preached  the  Gospel  at  Rome,  long  before  St. 
Paul  wrote  the  Epistle,  and  refers  to  several  ancient  authours  in 
support  of  this  opinion.  Certainly  the  argument  of  Koppe,  drawn 
from  St.  Luke's  silence,  respecting  St.  Peter's  going  to  Rome,  is 
not  of  much  weight ;  and  St.  Peter's  absence,  at  the  time  of  writ- 
ing the  Epistle,  may  account  for  the  want  of  any  traces  of  inter- 
course between  him  and  the  Romans,  being  discoverable  in  it. 
However,  if  the  statement  of  Irenseus  be  correct,  it  seems  difficult 
to  account  for  the  necessity  of  St.  Paul's  writing  such  a  letter; 
although  it  must  be  allov/ed,  that  peculiar  circumstances^,  beyond 
St.  Peter's  controul,  may  have  made  it  highly  proper. 

N.  B.  The  student,  who  refers  to  the  prolegomena  of  Koppe, 
is  requested  to  correct  an  errour  of  ra  avm  for  t«  IlauXa,  which 
occurs  in  the  passage  of  Irenaeus,  as  there  quoted,  p.  14,  note  *.] 

t  In  Chron.  p.  204,  ed.  Scalig.  ad  annum  prim,  [not  secund. 
as  in  Kop.  note  **]  Claydii. 


Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,        3 

traces  of  intercourse  between  Peter  and  the  Romans 
whom  he  mentions,  are  to  be  discovered :  to  which 
it  may  be  added,  that  it  is  easy  to  explain  the  source 
of  the  tradition,  by  the  vain  desire,  existing  among 
ancient  Churches,  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  Apos- 
tolick  origin  * 

In  the  48th  year  of  the  vulgar  era,  when  the  Jews 
were  banished  from  Rome,  by  the  edict  of  tiie  em- 
perour  Claudius,t  a  part  at  least  of  the  Roman 
Church  must,  by  means  of  Aquila  and  Priscilla 
and  others,  their  companions  in  exile,  have  become 
known  to  Paul  Their  acquaintance  with  him  must 
have  become  more  intimate  every  day,  since  Aquila 
remained  for  a  considerable  time  with  him,  at  Co- 
rinth and  Ephesus,  and  since  many  Chrisiians  in 
Macedonia,  Achaia,  and  Asia,  becoming  familiar 
with  Paul,  informed  the  Romans,  to  whom  they 
were  going,  of  the  Apostle's  extraordinary  efforts 
for  the  advancement  of  Christianity.  By  these  dis- 
ciples, therefore,  Paul  was  made  acquainted  with 
the  affairs  of  the  Christians  ;t  and,  perhaps  a  request 
on  their  part  to  write,  in  order  to  suppress  the  rising 

[•  Comp.  Mosh.  de  rebus  Christ,  ante  Const.  Magn.  Sac.  prim. 
^  xvii.  note  (xxx.)  p.  84.J 

[f  Macknight,  sect.  iv.  1,  places  this  edict  in  the  year  51; 
Heinrichs,  (on  Acts,  p.  63,  Chron.  Tab.)  52.  In  Eus.  ubi  sup. 
the  1 1th  of  Claudius  corresponds  with  A.  D.  53.]  Suetonius,  in 
his  Life  of  Claudius  (cap.  xxv.),  states,  as  the  cause  of  the  edict, 
that  the  Jews  had  been  busily  engaged  in  a  tumult,  im/acisore 
Chresto ;  whence  it  appears  not  improbable,  that  either  a  real 
attempt  of  some  Jewish  converts  to  Christianity,  to  raise  an  insur- 
rection, or  a  calumnious  charge  of  this  nature,  had  given  occasion 
to  the  decree  of  Caesar.  [Kuinoel,  on  Acts  xviii.  2,  agrees  with 
Koppe,  in  supposing  that  Suetonius  meant  Christ.  See  his  note 
there  ] 

SX  Comp.  Macknight,  Sect.  III.] 


4        Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

flames  of  dissention  among  the  new  converts,  gave 
rise  to  this  epistle,  addressed  to  a  Church,  which, 
although  not  founded  by  him,  was  still,  from  many 
causes,  closely  connected  with  him. 

The  information  which  may  be  drawn  from  the 
epistle  itself,  respecting  the  magnitude,  celebrity, 
and  character  of  the  Church,  is  comprised  in  the 
following  observations. 

That  the  Church  of  Rome  was  then  of  a  con- 
siderable extent,  cannot,  I  think,  be  accurately  in- 
ferred ;  either  from  the  multitude  of  the  assemblies 
into  which  it  is  thought  to  have  been  divided,  since 
the  texts  which  refer  to  this  point,  (xvi.  5.  14.  15.) 
admit  of  a  different  interpretation  ;  or  from  its  cele- 
brity in  other  parts  of  the  world,  which  might  be 
the  case  with  a  small  body,  if  well  regulated ;  or 
even  from  the  abundance  of  its  teachers  mentioned 
in  the  16th  chapter,  many  of  whom  seem  not  to 
belong  to  the  Roman  Church,  but  to  be  temporary 
residents  merely.     (See  on  chap.  xvi.  and  Exc  II.) 
Yet  the  fact  itself  appears  to  be  by  no  means  im- 
probable, both  from  the  extent  of  the  city,  and  the 
multitudes  of  Jews  which  it  contained,  and  from 
the   disputes   and   contentions,   by  which,   as  the 
epistle  itself  teaches  us,  the  Church  had  begun  to 
be  corrupted  ;  for  the  very  nature  of  the  thing,  and 
invariable  experience,  concur  to  prove,  that  this  is 
not  to  be  expected  in  bodies  of  an  obscure  and 
contracted  character.     And  if  the  Christian  com- 
munity were  considerable,  it  would  be  a  necessary 
inference,  even  if  the  epistle  itself  were  silent  on 
the  subject,  that  it  was  regulated,  after  the  example 
of  the  Jewish  synagogue,  with  its  Presbyters  and 
Deacons,  in  order  that  all  things  might  be  con- 


Introduciion  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans*        5 

ducted,   in  their  publick  assemblies,  with  proper 
regularity. 

That  the  Jews  were  the  larger  body  is  plain, 
from  the  subject  of  the  epistle,  and  from  the  mode 
of  treating  it,  which  is  particularly  accommodated 
to  men  accustomed  to  the  Jewish  religion  and 
Scriptures.  Comp.  ii.  17.  iii.  1.  9.  iv.  1.  12.  v.  20. 
vii.  1.  9. 10.  But  it  is  no  less  evident,  (hat  Gentiles 
were  mingled  with  these  Jews,  and  this  also  is 
proved  from  the  subject  of  the  epistle,  which  re- 
commends mutual  love  to  both ;  and,  particularly, 
from  the  14th  chaptpr,  where  the  Apostle  expressly 
names  the  Geiiiiles, 

Some  commentators  have  doubted,  whether  in 
the  Church  of  Rome  there  were  any,  who  were 
endowed  with  what  are  called  the  extraordinary 
and  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  both  be- 
cause no  one  of  the  Apostles,  by  whose  ministry 
only  they  suppose  theso  gifts  to  have  been  com- 
municated to  Christians,  had  as  yet  lived  among 
the  Romans;  and  also,  because  Paul  himself  de- 
clares his  anxiety,  to  "  impart  unto  them  some 
spiritual  gift,"  i.  12.  But  neither  of  these  remarks 
is  well  founded :  for  this  passage  ought  not  to  be 
understood  of  those  miraculous  gifts,  certainly  not 
of  them  exclusively,  much  less  of  the  first  grant  of 
them  to  the  Romans;  nor  can  it  be  satisfactorily 
proved,  that  apostolick  ministration  was  necessary, 
in  order  that  any  one  should  be  honoured  with 
these  extraordinary  benefits ;  nor,  in  fine,  can  it  at 
all  be  doubted,  that  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  there 
were  at  least  some,  who  might  have  received  these 
gifts  while  absent,  either  at  Jerusalem,  from  Peter 
and  the  other  Apostles,  or  from  Paul,  with  whom, 


6        Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 

from  his  itinerant  life,  they  had  frequent  opportuni- 
ties of  temporary  intercourse,  in  various  places. 

The  epistle  is  generally  divided,  and  with  con- 
venience, into  ttoo  parts,  the  one  doctritial^  and  the 
other  hortatory.  The  former,  running  through  the 
first  eleven  chapters,  exhibits  the  nature  of  Chris- 
tianity to  be  such,  that  every  one,  whether  he  be 
Jew  or  Gentile,  may  embrace  it;  it  shews,  that  the 
felicity  which  results  to  him  from  it,  and  which  will 
result  for  ever,  is  not,  if  received,  to  be  referred  to 
any  merit,  either  of  person,  or  of  ancestry,  or  of 
nation,  but  solely  to  ihc  divine  benevolence  and 
favour  through  Jesus  Christ,  declared  lo  mankind 
in  a  conspicuous  manner,  and  demanding  their 
faith.  To  accomplish  his  object  in  a  popular  man- 
ner, the  Apostle  begins  his  discussion,  by  describ- 
ing the  iniquity  of  mankind,  as  they  then  were, 
both  Gentiles  and  Jews.  The  state  of  the  former 
is  shewn  in  i.  18 — 32;  arid  that  of  the  latter  in 
ii,  1 — 24;  and  again  in  iii.  9 — 20,  after  the  intro- 
duction (ii.  25 — iii.  8.)  of  some  observations  on  the 
uselessness  of  circumcision,  and  other  laws  and 
privileges  of  the  Jewish  nation,  where  true  piety  is 
wanting.  And  since  they  were  principally  Jews, 
who  boasted  of  their  Mosaick  system  of  laws,  and 
of  their  tenacious  adherence  to  it,  and  supposed 
that  on  this  ground  alone  they  must  become  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  he  takes  the  more  pains,  fully  to 
illustrate  their  condition,  and  to  refute  the  vanity  of 
their  opinions.  He  therefore  lays  down  this  posi- 
tion: since  human  iniquity,  the  same  nearly  among 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  cannot  be  removed,  and  immu- 
nity from  divine  punishment  secured,  by  the  old 
Mosaick  system  of  religion,  God  has  exhibited  in 


Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,        7 

the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  new  way  and  me- 
thod,* by  which,  the  certain  hope  of  deliverance 
from  punishment,  and  of  salvation,  is  to  be  obtained 
hy  all,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  solely  through  faith  in 
the  gracious  promises  of  God,  to  the  utter  exclu- 
sion of  any  merit  of  one's  own,  (iii  9  21 — 80.)  To 
prove  this  position  to  the  Jews,  and  to  shew  that  it 
was  not  at  variance  with  their  sacred  books,  he 
appeals  fchap.  iv.)  to  passages  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  especially  to  the  example  of  Abraham, 
whose  history  was  particularly  adapted  to  illustrate 
and  confirm  the  doctrine,  since  his  justification  is 
ascribed  to  h\s  faith,  and  is  said  to  have  taken  place 
anPrior  to  the  time  of  his  circumcision.  Hence 
(chap.  V.)  the  mind  of  the  Apostle  bursts  out  in  the 
praise  of  that  justification,  which  the  religion  of 
Jesus  Christ  proposes,  (1 — 11);  and  he  shews  (12 
—21)  by  conducting  a  comparison  between  Adam 
and  Christ,  that  it  is  to  be  attributed,  not  to  the 
law,  not  to  circumcision,  not  to  any  human  merit, 
but  solely  to  Jesus  Christ.f 

[*  Doubtless  this  is  a  new  method,  inasmuch  as  it  is  totally 
different  from  the  method  of  salvation  which  was  almost  univer- 
sally adopted,  both  by  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  of  depending  on 
their  own  efforts,  and  is  by  the  Gospel  more  clearly  revealed  than 
ever  it  was  before.  But  it  must  not  be  supposed,  that  it  is  abso- 
lutely new,  that  is  to  say,  that  it  is  different  from  the  method  of 
justification,  by  which,  before  the  publication  of  the  Gospel,  sal- 
vation had  been  attainable.  Yet  this  seems  to  be  the  authour's 
meaning.  See  note  on  x.  5 — 11.  Obedience  to  any  law,  either 
iritual  or  moral,  has  never  been  the  ground  of  justification,  but 
'.•always  faith  in  a  Saviour,  either  expected,  or  come.] 

[t  The  design  of  the  doctrinal  part  of  the  epistle  is  twofold; 
to  shew, ^r«/,  that  justification,  and  by  consequence,  reconciliation 
to  God,  is  to  be  attained  solely  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  se- 
condly^ that  these  blessings  of  the  Gospel  are  intended  to  be  co- 
extensive with  the  whole  family  of  Adam,  and  to  embrace  Gen- 


8        Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

But  what  had  been  said  of  faith  in  opposition  to 
obedience  to  the  Mosaick  law,  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood so  as  to  sanction  the  inference,  that  Christians 
are  permitted  to  indulge  themselves  in  unrestrained 
licentiousness.  The  authour  proceeds  therefore  to 
assert,  in  various  ways,  this  principle :  that,  although 
Christians  are,  indeed,  released  from  the  yoke  of 
the  Mosaick  law,  yet  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ 
affords  other  motives,  of  the  weightiest  kind,  to  the 
cultivation  of  piety  and  virtue,  (vi.  vii. — 6.)  He 
shews,  that  although  the  law  of  Moses  could  not 
restrain  the  Jews  from  the  practice  of  iniquity,*  yet 

tiles  as  well  as  Jews.  The  Apostle  connects  these  two  objects; 
and,  agreeably  to  his  usual  manner,  intersperses  his  reasoning 
with  practical  digressions,  and  with  observations  illustrative  of  the 
blessed  nature  of  the  Gospel.  Such  observations  are  introduced 
in  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  chapter;  after  which  the  authour  ar- 
gues, I  think,  in  favour  of  the  second  part  of  his  object.  His 
reasoning  seems  to  be  dlrerted  against  the  limited  degree  of  be- 
nefit, to  which  the  pitifal  system  of  the  Jcwa  of  his  day  would 
restrict  the  effects  of  the  Messiah's  coming ;  and  from  the  univer- 
sality of  the  consequences  of  Adam's  fall,  he  reasons  in  favour  of 
the  universality  of  the  consequences  of  Christ's  atonement :  plainly 
shewing,  that  the  benefit  resulting  from  the  one  was,  to  say  the 
least,  not  inferior  to  the  injury  sustahied  through  the  other,  and 
that  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the  Jews,  were  to  be  "  fellow-heirs" 
and  partakers  of  the  hope  of  the  Gospel,  (v.  12 — 19.)  Nor  is  this 
doctrine  inconsistent  with  the  law  of  Moses,  for  to  afford  the 
means  of  justification  to  a  sinner,  was  no  part  of  its  design.  It 
was  introduced,  to  illustrate  the  character  of  sin  to  the  conscience 
of  the  offender,  and  to  lead  him  to  the  Gospel,  (20.  21.  Comp. 
vii.  5.  8 — 22  ;  Gal.  iii.  24.] 

[*  The  inability  of  the  law  to  restrain  from  iniquity,  is  not,  I 
think,  the  only  sentiment  which  St.  Paul  means  to  convey.  He 
seems  to  have  in  view  the  former  part  of  his  design,  to  shew  that 
to  the  Gospel  only,  and  not  to  the  Law,  is  to  be  attributed  the 
power  of  justification.  To  bring  him  to  this  conclusion,  he  traces 
the  state  of  a  man  living  without  the  influence  of  either  Law  or 
Gospel ;  views  the  same  man  as  the  nature  of  the  Law  opens  before 


Introduction  to  Hie  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        9 

this  did  not  arise  from  the  nature  of  this  law,  which 
was  excellent  and  divine,*  but  from  the  depravity 
of  human  character,  and  its  proneness  to  evil,  (vii. 
7 — 25.)  and  that  Christianity  contained  much  more 
distinguished  and  efficacious  means  to  excite  to, 
and  strengthen  in  the  practice  of  virtue,  all  of  which 
were  offered  to  the  Christian,  to  assist  him  in  his 
progress  in  piety  and  happiness,  among  the  various 
and  distressing  evils  by  which  human  life  is  beset, 
(viii.)  t 

But  since  this  extraordinary  elevation  of  the  faith 
of  Christ  above  the  religion  of  Moses,  might  readily 
excite  a  suspicion  among  the  Jewish  Christians, 
that  Paul  was  governed  by  human  considerations, 
and  that  through  odium,  and  a  desire  to  avenge  the 
injuries  which  the  Jews  had  at  any  time  done  him, 
he  was  unjustifiably  attacking  them  and  their  law ; 
he  now  meets  these  unfounded  insinuations.  He 
testifies  (chaps,  ix.  x.  xi.)  the  great  afi'ection  which 
even  then  he  felt  for  the  Jewish  nation ;  the  ex- 
treme sorrow  which  he  experienced,  on  account  of 
their  unhappiness,  arising  from  their  unbelief,  and 
vain  confidence  in  their  own  merits ;  and  the  cer- 


his  mind,  displaying  the  character  of  sin,  but  presenting  no  means 
of  deliverance,  and  no  sufficient  motive  to  deter  from  it;  and  at 
last  exhibits  to  him  the  Gospel  as  fully  competent  to  both  these 
objects,  (vii.  and  viii.  1 — 9. J] 

[*  The  Law  was  indeed  excellent  and  divine,  but,  with  respect 
to  the  benefits  referred  to,  it  was  incompetent,  because  it  was  not 
intended  to  impart  these  benefits.     See  viii.  3,  and  Heb.  vii.  18.] 

[t  The  former  part  of  this  chapter  exhibits  the  most  important 
motives  of  the  Gospel,  in  connexion  with  the  argument  of  the  pre- 
ceding chapter;  but  from  the  19th  verse,  the  Apostle  evidently 
has  in  view  the  second  part  of  his  design,  and  illustrates  the  cha- 
racter of  the  Gospel,  as  embracing  mankind  in  general  within  the 
scope  of  its  influence.    See  20.  22.  32.] 

2 


10      Introduction  to  ike  Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

tain  and  undoubted  hope,  which  he  entertained,  of 
their  future  conversion  to  the  faith  of  Christ.*  He 
begins  a  new  subject,  entirely  unconnected  with 
those  of  the  preceding  chapters,t  and  continues  it 
to  the  end  of  the  eleventh  chapter;  so  that  it  is 
easily  seen,  that  these  three  are  intimately  united. 
They  exhibit  the  unhappy  state  of  the  Jewish  people, 
the  causes  which  gave  rise  to  it,  and  the  end,  which 
will  eventually  result.  The  occasion  of  the  whole 
discussion  seems  to  have  been :  that  the  uncon- 
verted Jews  calumniated  Paul,  as  an  enemy  to  their 
nation,  and  a  traitor  to  his  country's  rites  and  reli- 
gion, (see  Acts  xxi.  28.)  and  those  of  them  who  had 
embraced  Christianity,  found  it  impossible  to  re- 
concile, either  the  unbelief  of  their  countrymen, 
and  their  consequent  rejection  from  the  kingdom 
of  the  Messiah,  or  the  conversion  of  the  Gentile 
race,  with  the  promise  made  in  the  Old  Testament, 
of  establishing  a  new  covenant  with  the  Israelites 
through  the  Messiah,  or  with  their  notions  of  the 
extraordinary  dignity  of  the  Jewish  people  above 
all  others,  and  of  the  regard  in  which  they  were 
held  by  the  Supreme  Being.  The  Apostle,  there- 
fore, in  the  first  place,  endeavours,  with  all  possible 
earnestness,  to  satisfy  these  men,  of  his  sincere  re- 
gard for  the  Jews,  of  his  regret  for  their  miserable 
state,  of  his  earnest  wish  to  promote  their  salva- 
tion, (ix.  1 — 5.  X.  1  et  seq.  xi.  1  et  seq.).     Then  he 

[*  For  a  more  complete  account  of  the  subject  of  these  three 
chapters,  the  authour  refers  to  his  remarks  introductory  to  chap.  ix. 
which  I  have  here  introduced.] 

[t  I  cannot  but  think  this  language  to  be  much  too  strong,  as  it 
is  evident,  that  St.  Paul  has  the  one  great  subject  of  his  epistle  in 
view  in  each  of  these  chapters,  and  that  they  are  very  closely  con- 
nected with  the  previous  discussion.] 


lntro(hiction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.       \  1 

gives  his  own  opinion  of  their  condition,  shewing 
them  first,  that  neither  external  dignity  of  rank,  nor 
the  more  scrupulous  observance  of  outward  Mosa- 
ick  ceremonies,  in  both  which  respects  the  Jews 
were  accustomed  to  boast,  as  being  descendants  of 
Abraham,  and  particularly  tenacious  of  the  law  of 
Moses,  (ix.  32,  x  3.)  was  of  any  importance  to  se- 
cure the  felicity  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  ;  but  that 
all  depended  entirely  on  the  free  nud  benignant  will 
of  God.  This  he  illustrates  in  a  manner  adapted  to 
the  Jewish  character,  by  suitable  examples  from 
the  Old  Testament,  (ix.  6 — 18.)  which  he  then  ap- 
plies to  the  unbelieving  Jews,  vindicating  the  divine 
justice  and  equity  from  the  cavils  which  might  be 
raised  against  this  doctrine,  and  fully  proving,  that 
the  pride  and  wickedness  and  unbelief  of  the  Jews, 
we>e  the  causes  of  their  unhappy  situation,  (19 — x. 
21.)  At  last  he  animates  the  minds  of  Christians, 
partly  by  this  consideration  ;  that,  even  at  that  time, 
there  existed  a  distinguished  multilude  of  Jews, 
who,  although  in  a  great  degree  unobserved,  ho- 
noured and  worshipped  the  Messiah,  (xi.  I — 5.) 
and  partly  by  this  joyous  expectation,  that  the  time 
would  come,  when  the  rest,  though  at  present  un- 
believing, would  receive  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and 
the  whole  nation  regard  him  as  the  Christ,  (G — 32.) 
These  discussions  he  applies  to  the  Gentile  con- 
verts, shewing  them  with  great  seriousness,  how 
absurd  and  iniquitous,  and  ungrateful  to  God  it  was, 
to  boast,  as  they  were  accustomed  to  do,  of  their 
own  election  in  preference  to  the  Jews,  and  to  treat 
them  with  contempt  on  that  account,  (17 — 22.) 
He  concludes,  by  exhorting  all  Christians  to  ad 
mire  the  unsearchable  depths  of  the  divine  wisdom 
and  benignity,  (33 — 36.) 


12      Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 

In  the  HORTATORY  part  of  the  epistle,  the  authour 
inculcates  general  Christian  piety,  particularly  so- 
briety of  character,  shewn  by  fidelity,  in  the  dis- 
charge of  official  duty,  and  by  mildness,  in  bearing 
the  injuries  of  enemies,  (xii.)  He  requires  obedi- 
ence to  magistrates,  together  with  kindness  towards 
all  men,  and  purity  of  manners,  (xiii.)  He  urges 
mutual  affection  among  the  belter  instructed  and 
the  weaker  Christians,  and  also  patience  and  for- 
bearance towards  the  infirmities  of  each  other, 
(xiv.  XV.  13.)  The  epistle  closes,  with  various  cir- 
cumstances relating  to  the  Apostle  himself,  (13 — 
S3.)  and  with  salutations,  (xvi.) 

I  have  thus  given  an  abstract  of  the  sentiments 
contained  in  the  whole  epistle.  It  is  to  be  consi- 
dered, however,  that  both  in  reference  to  their 
mutual  connexion,  and  to  the  particular  explana- 
tion, illustration,  and  support  of  them,  we  are  to  be 
extremely  cautious,  nor  to  look  for  that  nicety  which 
distinguishes  our  own  dogmatick  or  philosophical 
works,  wherein  all  things  are  discussed  in  proper 
order,  and  with  the  most  suitable  selection  of  ar- 
guments. Such  an  expectation  is  not  consistent, 
either  with  the  time  when  our  sacred  books  were 
written ;  or  with  the  character  of  the  writer  of  this 
epistle ;  or,  which  is  principally  important,  with 
the  epistolary  style  of  composition,  which  does  not 
admit  of  such  discussion.  But  on  the  other  hand, 
the  more  accustomed  we  are  to  the  familiar  style  of 
writing,  and  the  more  carefully  we  keep  this  in  re- 
collection, the  more  readily  shall  we  be  able  to 
solve  a  multiplicity  of  serious  difficulties,  which,  in 
this  epistle,  and  in  all  the  rest  of  the  same  authour, 
will,  otherwise,  frequently  produce  perplexity.  Two 
things  are  particularly  worthy  of  notice :  first,  that 


Introduction  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      13 

in  strengthening  opinions  laid  down,  the  mind  of 
the  reader  is  influenced  by  arguments,  rather  of  a 
popular  character,  than  of  a  philosophical  subtilty  ; 
and  secondly,  that  in  connecting  ihern,  very  con- 
siderable freedom  is  allowed,  sometimes  a  more 
restrained,  and  sometimes  a  looser  medium  being 
adopted,  as  each  suddenly  presented  itself  to  the 
mind  of  the  writer,  more  intent  on  the  subject  than 
on  the  manner  of  presenting  it. 

As  to  the  TIME  and  place  in  which  this  epistle 
was  written,  there  are  several  passages,  which  afford 
ground  for  no  improbable  conjecture.  When  he 
wrote  the  letter,  the  Apostle  was  on  his  way  to 
Jerusalem,  with  a  collection,  made  in  Macedonia 
and  Achaia,  for  the  poor  Christians  in  that  city,  and 
was  staying  in  the  place  in  which  Caius  dwelt, 
(xvi.  23.)  now,  as  it  is  certain  that  he  was  a  Co- 
rinthian, and  belonged  to  that  Church,  (1  Cor.  i.  14.) 
it  plainly  follows,  that  this  epistle  was  written  at 
Corinth,  during  the  Apostle's  second  visit  to  that 
city,  (comp.  Acts  xx.  3.  and  2  ('or,  xiii.  1.  2.)  i.  e. 
in  the  year  of  the  vulgar  era  52,  according  to  some, 
but  according  to  others  58* 


[*  57  or  58  is  the  most  generally  received  date.  See  Mac- 
knight,  Sect.  IV.;  and  Lardner,  Vol.  II.  p.  297,  4to.  Lond.  ed. 
1815.]  ♦ 


EPISTLE  TO   THE   ROMANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

1.]  Ai?iwf*T|W,Evoi-  synonymous  with  the  Heb.  ^♦I^'^'  ^'^^  "^' 
plying  distinction. 

2.]  U^o(p,  (N.  B.  In  many  instances  the  Greek  will  be  thus 
contracted,  as  the  reader  is  presunned  to  have  his  Greek  Testa- 
ment constantly  open  before  him) ;  the  inspired  writers  of  the  Old 
Testament,  in  which  extensive  sense  the  word  is  used.  See 
Schleus. 

4.]  '0^i9.,  i.  e.  says  Chrys.  (Hom.VI.  on  Rom.  Tom.  IV.  of  Com- 
ment, in  N.T.  p.  63,  ed.  Paris,  1636),  htx^Evrog^  aTro^av-^EVTo?,  ^c^tSsvro,-, 
ojwoXoynSsvToc,  8cc.  Comp.  Heb.  IV.  7,  Acts  XVII.  31.   Marked  out, 
declared,  by  his  resurrection,  to  be  the  Son  of  God ;  not  becoming 
so  merely  in  consequence  of  that  event.     Ev  ^w'  a  Hebraism  for 
^vvoiTuq,  like   n'Tl^JlS.'     Koppe. — Kara  tcv.  uy.     Four  principal 
interpretations  of  this  passage  have  been  offered.     1.  That  which 
refers  it  to  Christ's  more  exalted  nature,  is  adopted  by  Heuman 
and  Morus.     Locke  also  contends  for  it,  and  observes,  that  as 
jcara  ttv.  «y.  "  is  manifestly  opposed  to  xaT»  o-ajxa,  V.  3.  it  must 
mean  that  more  pure  and  spiritual  part,  which,  by  divine  extrac- 
tion, he  had  immediately  from  God,  and  that  otherwise  the  anti- 
thesis is  lost."     But,  as  Koppe  remarks,  it  can  only  be  inferred 
from  the  antithesis,  that  tth.  «y.  means  Ssiov  t»,  something  divine, 
not  to  be  seen  in  men  generally. — 2.  That  which  supposes  xara 
TTv.  «y.  to  be  equivalent  to  x«9wi  to  Trvcu/xa  'ro  ci^yiov  "Tr^oei^nKEy  and 
that  the  phrase  only  means,  '  according  to  the  predictions  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,'  kktx  y^Mipx;'  as  in  1  Cor.  XV.  13.     Thus  AmmoD. 
See  his  Excui'sus  A.  in  Kop.  p.  345.     But  this  exposition  is  at 
variance  with  the  antithesis. — 3.  That  which  understands  it  of  the 
Spirit,  which  sanctified   Jesus.      Thus  Noesselt,  who  refers  to 
Luke  I.  35.  and  John  X.  26.  and  Koppe,  who  considers  it  as  equi- 


16  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  [Chap.  I. 

valent  to  TrvEu/xa  «y»oK  or  Sew  by  a  hebraism,  meaning  Godhead. 
For  the  meaning  of  tvei//**  «iy»ov,  see  his  Excursus  V.  on  Gal. 
p.  117.  et  seq.,  and  particularly  his  sixth  meaning,  pp.  119.  120. 
121.  The  sense  of  the  phrase  here  given  being  that  which  ia 
usually  understood  by  the  terms  Holy  Spirit,  is  probably  the 
meaning  of  7r».  «y.  here.  Compare  Heb.  IX.  14.  John  III.  34. 
The  first,  or  last  of  these  explanations,  is  not  liable  to  Ammon's 
objection,  that  they  connect  Christ's  Sonship  with  his  resurrection; 
they  only  assert  that  the  resurrection  was  one  illubtralion  of  it. 
— 4,  Rosen.,  in  his  Scholia,  and  more  fully  in  a  Dissertation,  pub- 
lished in  the  Commentationes  Theologicae,  (a  very  valuable  col- 
lection of  dissertations,  in  6  vols,  edited  by  Velthusen,  Kuinoel, 
and  Ruperti.  See  Home's  Introduction,  vol.  II.  p.  889.  third 
edition),  vol.  I.  p.  315  et  seq.,  gives  a  different  explanation  of  this 
passage.  By  w.  iy.  he  understands  the  Holy  Spirit ;  >c«t«  is 
equivalent  to  5't«,  and  means  Ay,  comp.  1  Cor.  XII.  8.j  f|  «»ae. 
after  his  resurrection,  comp.  John  XIII.  4.  [it  does  not  appear 
certain  that  ejc  has  here  the  sense  of  a/ier],  2  Pet.  II.  8.  [See  also 
Xop.,  who  observes,  that  ejc  may  mean  after;  and  Wahl  in  ex. 
1.  2.  g.  who  refers  also  to  Apoc.  XVII.  1 1.  and  to  Classick  Au- 
thours;  also  Schleus.  11.]  He  thus  deduces  the  following  expo- 
sition :  'who  was  declared  in  the  strongest  and  clearest  manner  to 
be  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  miraculous  opera- 
tions, after  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.*  With  this  exposition 
compare  John  XVI.  14.  and  Acts  III.  13.  Among  the  ancients, 
Theodoret  and  Chrysostom  support  this  meaning.  The  disserta- 
tion of  Rosen,  is  well  vj^rthy  of  perusal.  Various  other  meanings 
may  be  seen  in  Eras,  in  loc.  Grit.  Sac.  Tom.  VII.  and  in  Wolf.— 
In  the  sense  above  given  by  Rosen.,  Luther  seems  to  have  under- 
stood the  passage.  He  renders  if  «var.  '  since  the  time  of  his  re- 
surrec  11071*  Seiler  also  thinks,  that  the  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  meant,  and  refers  to  Acts  II.     See  his  note. 

5.]    X«fiv  »cj  uv.  a  hendyadis.    So  Aesch.  cont.  Ctes.,  §  28,  a<r- 
;^*5jU0(n/yflv  »^  w^a.%ua,r  the  shamefulness  of  his  flattery. 

6.  j     KX)5To?  means  one  who  is  invited  to  receive  the  benefits  of 
Christianity,  whether  he  embraces  or  rejects  them.    Here  and  in 

1  Cor.  I.  24.  it  means  the  former. 
9.]    Ey  Tw  m.  jita.  with  my  whole  heart.     Comp.  oc  \vxni  in 

Iph.  VI.  6.' 
10.]    EiTTw; — i/jixar  '  that  by  God's  goodness,  I  may  at  length  be 

so  favoured  as  to  visit  you.*     Kop. 

11.]    Xcc^KTfjux.  TV.  means  any  spiritual  gift. 

12.]  2«/*T«5axXii&»)»«i — 5/*a' '  that  we  may  comfort  and  strengthen 


Chap.  I.]  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  If 

each  other  by  our  mutual  faith.'  Ua^xKOiXtu  and  xa^xxXning  are 
words  of  general  meaning,  applied  to  exhortation,  consolation,  in- 
struction, reproof.  See  Schlcus.  and  Kop.,  and  comp.  1  Thess.  V. 
11.  14.  Heb.  Xm.  22. 

13.]  'iva — (J^uw  *  that  I  may  be  benefitted,  by  witnessing  your 
Christian  character.'  This  is  the  common  usage  of  xat^ffov  £X"'> 
(comp.  VI.  21.)  and  the  sentiment  suits  the  modesty  of  St.  Paul's 
character.     See  also  the  next  note. 

14.]  Koppe  gives  this  exposition  ;  which  he  says  is  supported 
by  the  context,  and  required  by  usage  :  "  For  how  much  delight 
and  consolation  am  I  indebted  to  the  various  classes  of  mankind  !** 
This  is  the  sense  of  Luther's  version,  and  also  of  our  own.  But 
although  St.  Paul  speaks,  v.  13.  of  his  being  about  to  receive  be- 
nefit from  the  Romans,  yet  no  doubt  he  intended  to  intimate,  that 
they  would  be  benefitted  by  his  labours;  and  this  reflection  arising 
in  his  mind  seems  to  me  to  have  occasioned  the  observation  in  this 
verse.  Strictly  speaking,  he  was  indebted  to  God,  and  his  grati- 
tude leads  him  to  benefit  God's  creatures. 

15.]  Koppe  seems  to  prefer  to  x«t'  £jm,£  t^o^u/aov,  understand- 
ing £<rT<,  and  taking  x«t'  £/*f  for  /xa,  thus :  '  it  is  my  earnest  desire.' 
Either  this,  or  the  common  meaning,  which  Griesbach's  punctua- 
tion sanctions,  makes  a  good  sense. 

16.]  Here,  according  to  Locke,  St.  Paul  enters  on  the  argu^ 
ment  of  his  epistle,  which  he  introdmces  with  this  declaration, 
Oy  y«?  ivoua-x-  is  a  meiosis ;  the  meaning  is  given  in  Gal.  VL  14. 

17.]  Atx«ioflru»«*  immunity  from  the  punishment  of  sin ;  and, 
united  with  this,  a  sense  of  divine  rewards.  Kop. — "  Probitas  et 
beatitas."  Storr.  See  his  Opuscula  Academica,  a  work  of  ex- 
traordinary value.  His  whole  treatise  on  this  word  and  its  cog- 
nates, is  well  worthy  of  the  student's  attention.  "  AMawautrt  quae 
Si»  Tio-TEMj  sub  conditione,  &c.  Justification,  which  is  granted  on 
the  condition  of  faith ;  which  is  attributed  to  believers,  i.  e.  not 
to  those  who  have  merited  it,  but  to  guilty  persons,  who  have 
sinned  deeply,  in  various  ways,  who  have  not  fulfilled  the  de- 
mands of  the  law  so  as  to  claim  life,  who  findbg  their  own  me- 
rits unavailing,  confide  in  divine  grace.  And  since  Jixowoj-um  -ner- 
TEWS  is  a  gift  of  divine  grace,  which  cannot  be  obtained  but  through 
supplication,  it  is  called  «  ^m  &x.  (Phil.  HL  9.)  and  more  briefly 
3ix.  ^ta.**  Vol.  I.  pp.  213.  214.  He  thinks,  that  ex  mareug  here  is 
to  be  connected  with  ^x.  ^sy,  and  that  the  meaning  is  this ;  "  5ix» 
Sty  ex  TfiOTEWf,  the  righteousness  of  God  by  faith,  is  exhibited  in 
the  Gospel  e*?  wcrrw,  with  this  view,  to  produce  faith,  and  thereby 
to  secure  that  5u«jo<ry>r)y,"  P.  213.  note  68.     This  is  a  very  usual 

3 


18  Noles  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  [Chap.  I. 

exposition.  Macknight  gives  it,  and  it  cannot  be  denied  that  pas- 
sages may  be  produced,  where  the  order  of  the  words  is  very  si- 
milar. See  Storr's  note. — Kop.  thinks  that  ejc  ms-iu;  £»,-  7r»s-iy  is 
analogous,  not  to  Ps.  LXXXIV.  8.  Jer.  IX.  2.  2  Cor.  III.  18. 
with  which  it  is  often  compared,  which  will  be  found  in  some  re- 
spects dissimilar ;  but  to  Rom.  VI.  19.  m  avo/xia  »?  tjiv  avo/x*ay,  and 
John  I.  16.  This  is  his  exposition;  "  this  blessedness  is  to  be 
ascribed  to  nothing  else  than  faith ;"  to  translate  his  own  terms 
literally,  "  to  faith,  to  faith  alone."  Thus  also  Locke,  "  wholly 
by  faith  ;"  and  Seller. 

I  have  long  thought  that  S'tic.  B-ea  means  here  and  in  some  other 
places,  not  the  righteousness  or  rather  justification  itself  which  the 
epistle  speaks  of,  but  the  mode  of  justification  which  God  hath 
exhibited  in  (the  Gospel.  And  this,  I  find,  is  the  view  given  hj 
Ammon ;  "  de  modo  et  ratione  explicandum  esse  videtur,  quibus 
venia  impetrari  queat."  So  also  Wahl  in  his  Clavis  N.  T.  in  verb. 
5,  ^^  ratio  Jav oris  divini  consequendi  permetonym.  Rom.  X.  3.5." 

'o  h  S'lKxioi  ix.  iTKr.  I^f,.  See  Habb.  II.  4.  and  eomp.  Heb.  X. 
38.  Macknight  translates  thus:  "  the  just  by  faith,  shall  live."  I 
cannot  think  that  there  is  much  force  in  his  reasoning,  note  3.,  not 
to  say,  that  to  speak  of  the  just  by  faith,  seems  to  imply  the  possi- 
bility of  becoming  just  by  some  other  means,  which  the  whole 
scope  of  the  epistle  opposes.    See  also  Mid.'s  note  on  Gal.  III.  II. 

18.J  Tm  r>)v  «Ajj5.  tv  uh  kcct.  '  Who  unrighteously  sufifiress 
the  truth,'  meaning  Christianity,  (Ammon),  whose  influence  they 
endeavour  to  suppress ;  or  rather,  from  the  next  verse,  religious 
truth  generally,  (Rosen.),  whose  influence  on  the  mind  and  heart 
is  weakened  by  their  iniquitous  conduct.  Schleus.  in  verb.  4.  and 
Rosen,  in  loc.  both  adopt  this  sense  of  nxrext*.  Kop.  seems  to 
prefer  that  which  is  given  in  the  English  translation,  "  who  /lotd 
the  truth,"  are  acquainted  with  religious  truth,  and  may  become 
so  in  a  still  greater  degree,  but  it  does  not  benefit  them.  They 
may  be  said  to  retain  this  truth,  as  in  v.  2 1 .  they  are  said  to  knoisr 
God,  meaning,  to  have  the  opportunity  of  knowing,  him. 

19.]  To  yva^-ov  for  'v  yvuTif.  See  Kop.,  who  gives  as  parallel 
forms  II.  4.  VIII.  3.  1  Cor.  I.  25.  Heb.  VII.  18.— In  v.  18.  the 
authour  embraces  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  here  he  seems  to  refer  par- 
ticularly to  the  Gentiles. 

20.]  Ato  KTiTsui  xoo-f^n'  «  a  mundo  condito."  Kop.,  who  refers 
to  Matt.  XIII.  35.  XXIII.  35.  John  XV.  27.  to  which  add  Matt. 
XXIV.  21.  This  sense,  which  is  probably  the  true  one,  will  not 
destroy  an  inference,  which  is  often  drawn  from  this  text,  in  favour 
©f  the  general  principles  of  natural  religion  being  deducible  from 


lyhap.  I.]  Notes  on  the  Epistle  1o  the  Romans..  1 9 

the  works  of  creation ;  which,  it  may  still  be  argued,  is  taught  ia 
the  words  rut  5reo)^«c-<  )iony.evx.  Two  things  however  ought  to 
be  considered  in  reference  to  this  subject ;  that  the  Apostle  does 
not  speak  of  a  full  degree  of  religious  knowledge,  and  that  the 
influence  of  original  revelations  on  the  human  mind  must  be  al- 
lowed its  due  weight. 

21.]  rvavres"  acknowledging  and  having  the  means  of  know- 
ing God. — Ket^Six-  mind.  This  is  a  comjnon  hebraistick  sense  of 
•this  word  in  the  New  Testament,  as  of  the  corresponding  term 
]37  in  the  Old.  See  Vorsiius  de  Hebraismis,  p.  436.  and  comp. 
Eph.  IV.  18. ;  also  I.  18.,  where  nx^S'tcti  is  probably  the  true  read- 
ing, hctvoixi  having  perhaps  been  introduced  by  some  transcriber 
through  ignorance  of  the  Hebrew  idiom. 

24.]  Here  is  one  of  the  consequences  of  idolatry.  It  is  to  be 
observed,  that  this  description  of  the  heathens  is  intended  to  apply 
to  them  as  a  body,  not  to  every  individual,  for  to  many  It  would  not 
be  appropriate.  The  same  observation  applies  to  the  subsequent 
description  of  the  state  of  the  Jews,  (chap.  II.  HI.),  and  the  argu- 
ment is  illustrated  by  it. 

25.]  T»v  «A.  rs  ^m  for  the-tfye  God.  Comp.  tsjv  J<)|.  th 
^es  in  v.  23. — £v  TCfi  ■^.  into  Vain  and  deceitful  idols. 

28.J  OvK  iS'oK.  they  would  not.  Schleus.  in  verb.  6.  Wahl 
is  better,  I  think, — they  disdained  the  knowledge  [and  service]  of 
God.     E%£/v  ev  iTFiy.  for  tTrtytvuo'y^ii'i.     See  Schleus.  in  ex"^'  22. 

29.]     KetKoiiS^sixi'  cunning  malevolence. 

30.]  ©e«roy£<s' hateful  to  God  :  /^<o-Kji6fvo<  Jjra  .S^^y  Hesych.  con- 
veying the  idea  of  extraordinary  wickedness.  Kop.  thinks  this 
preferable  to  fov  B-iev  i^KravTei,  "  hater  of  God,"  which,  although 
sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  Theodoret,  Oecumenius,  and  Sui- 
das,  is  not,  he  says,  established  by  undoubted  usage,  nor  suffi- 
ciently supported  by  the  context,  which  refers  to  flagitious  conduct 
towards  men,  rather  than  to  sins  directed  immediately  against 
God. 

'lcQ^{?-»i,  insolent  man. — £<pev.  kcck,.  Comp.  2  Mac.  VH.  31. 
and  Virg.  ^n.  II.  164. 

31.]  Ae-or  without  consideration,  men  stupidly  ignorant  and 
wicked.    Comp.  S^J  in  Deut.  XXXII.  21. 

T   T  ^ 

32.]  To  S'lx..  TH  3-.  the  determination  sanctioned  by  God  with 
awful  penalties.  Locke  admits  the  addition  of  «»  evotia-xv  before 
«5t/,  which  is  the  reading  of  D.  E.  (See  Gries.  and  refer  to  his 
Codices  Graeci  ep.  Paul,  in  his  2d.  vol.  p.  xxiv.  ed.  Lend.  1818); 
but  Jthe  addition  is  neither  sufficiently  supported,  nor  necessary* 


20  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  11- 

Nor  do  I  see  the  propriety  of  his  construction  of  e-v^cvS'oKHTi.  Aio 
in  the  next  verse  (chap.  II.)  is  satisfactorily  explained  without  it. 
See  his  notes  (i.  k.)  and  comp.  below  on  II.  I. 


CHAPTER  II. 

1.]  A<a,  Sec.  '  Since  those  who  commit  these  crimes  are  wor- 
thy of  punishment,  thou,  O  Jew,  art  inexcusable,  because  thou  art 
guilty  of  the  very  same  things  as  those  Gentiles,  although  thou  art 
continually  condemning  them.'  Thus  the  antithesis  is  not,  as 
Locke  asserts,  between  a-wivS'oKiie-i  (I.  32.)  and  y-^ivm,  (although 
according  to  him,  "  nothing  can  be  clearer  than  this,  and  without 
it  the  Apostle's  inference  cannot  possibly  be  made  out")  ;  but  be- 
tween eivTx  vaiao-t  (I.  32.)  and  rcc  (tvTx  7r^xTF£i(  here.  This  is 
confirmed  by  the  next  verse,  tTrt  rui  tx  roixvrx  Tr^xo-c-oirxf,  not 
eiri  T»{  x-^tvovTXiy  as  according  to  Mr.  Locke's  view  might  reason- 
ably have  been  expected  ;  and  in  the  following  after  o  x^uvav^  the 
Apostle  adds,  x.xt  ttoiuv  xvtx.  It  is  not  so  much  the  censures  of 
the  Jews  which  he  condemns,  as  the  fiursuit  of  the  same  vices 
with  the  Gentiles.  In  note  (1.)  Mr.  Locke  remarks,  that "  the  Gen- 
tiles were  never  guilty  of  such  a  folly,  as  to  judge  those  who  were 
no  more  faulty  than  themselves."  But  this  is  contrary  to  experi- 
ence, for  men  are  perpetually  condemning  in  others  what  they  do 
themselves.  And  if  this  were  St.  Paul's  meaning,  he  would  pro- 
bably have  said,  "  dost"  worse  or  greater  "  things,"  instead  of, 
"  dost  the  same  things." 

2.]  Oi^x^iv  we  Jews  know.  Kxrx  xM^.  just  and  proper. 
Sec  Stuart's  Ernesti,  §  100.  and  comp.  1  Tim.  VI.  3.  Some  con- 
nect it  with  £«■«,  and  explain  it  by  certainly.  The  other  view  is 
preferable. 

4.]  nA«T.  ;y^>j5-er.  Comp.  •TpHn  Si")  in  Ps.V.  8.  Ayy»iwy  not 
considering.  See  Schleus.  in  verb.  3. — Ay«  leadsj  for  should 
load. 

5.]  Kop.  refers  %xrx — $-vTxv^i^tis  to  xyvotivy  thus;  "  and  on 
the  other  hand,  dost  thou  not  consider,  now  whilst  thou  retainest 
thy  mind  hard  and  impenitent,  that  thou  art  increasing  thy  con- 
demnation ?"  The  common  version  is,  I  think,  as  good  at  least. 
The  use  of  t'.e  word  .'^tjc-xv^t^itf  here  illustrates  the  errour  of  de- 
ducing the  meaning  of  a  word  from  etymology,  (comp.  Ernesti, 


Chap.  II.J         Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  21 

§  105.  156.)  as  in  the  progress  of  its  application,  the  original  idea 
o^  treasure  is  totally  lost,  and  it  means  nothing  more  than  heafi  ufi 
or  firefiare.  See  Kop. — Ev  'yiiAt^x — ^£S'  in  the  day  of  wrath,  when 
God  will  manifest  his  righteous  judgment,  rtj  ktto.  S'ik.  th  ^m 
being  exegetical. 

7.]  Kx^'  uTFci*.,  cgy.  ay,  by  perseverance  in  good  works.  Comp. 
Gal.  VI.  4.  where  t^yov  is  thus  used. 

8.]  Tots  £|  t§i.  Comp.  IV.  12.  16.  Gal.  III.  7.— t>)  u>,>,3: 
Either  the  Gospel ;  or  rather  that  portion  of  religious  truth,  which 
is  offered  to  them,  in  whatever  situation  they  are.  Comp.  I.  la. 
Kop.  explains  it  thus ;  ''  omnU  recte  de  Deo  cogitandi  honeste- 
que  et  pie  agendi  ratio;  religio  vera  quocunque  tandem  modo 
homini  innotescat." 

9,]      nec<r.  i^t;.  uvB:  every  individual;    an  hebraism   for   73 

T    T       T 

11.]  Comp.  V.  3.  3.- with  which  this  connects,  although  the  in- 
termediate verses  are  not  properly  a  digression,  but  rather  an  am- 
plification of  the  idea  there  expressed. 

12.]  'HfAXfTov  is  here  used  emphatically,  implying  not  merely 
its  usual  meaning,  '  have  sinned,'  but  more,  '  have  so  sinned  as  to 
subject  themselves  to  condemnation.'  So  also  is  e^yec^o/^svui  in 
IV.  4.  5.  Comp.  Ernesti,  §  57.  58.  161—175.  Macknight  ob- 
jects, that  ev  vo/Mu  and  S'lx  vo/tts  here  cannot  mean  the  law  of 
Moses,  because  the  Israelites  are  not  to  be  judged  by  that  law. 
Now  when  St.  Paul  says,  ^<«  vof^-a  x^tB^.,  no  doubt  he  merely 
means,  that  in  the  final  decision,  the  obligation  of  the  Israelites  to 
obey  the  law  under  which  they  lived,  (whether  it  be  called  the 
law  of  Moses,  or  "  divine  revelation  in  general,"  see  his  note  1.), 
should  have  an  influence,  as  should  also  that  of  the  heathens,  to 
obey  the  law  of  nature,  suggested  by  conscience  and  reason  or 
traditionary  revelation ;  that  is  to  say,  that  the  state  of  each  man 
should  be  determined,  with  a  reference  to  his  situation  and  advant- 
ages.   And  in  v. 

13.]  when  he  says,  6v—S'tK.xiu^iro»Txr  he  does  not  mean, 
that  any  can  be  justified  by  doing  the  law,  for  the  whole  scope 
of  the  epistle  is  against  this  doctrine ;  he  means,  that  the  privi- 
lege of  hearing  God's  law,  in  which  the  Jews  prided  themselves^ 
was  of  no  use,  unless  they  endeavoured  to  keep  it.  This  endea- 
vour being  a  test  of  their  sincerity,  and  a  proof  of  their  faith, 
was  also  an  evidence  of  their  justification,  but  by  no  means  the 
original  cause  of  it. 
I  cannot  but  question  the  correctness  of  the  view  which  is  taken 


22  Notes  OH  the  Epistle  to  the  Romaas.         [Chap.  II. 

of  this  passage,  by  a  distinguished  biblical  critick.  See  Prof. 
Stuart's  Ernesti,  §  181.  p.  92.  The  translator  observes,  that 
"  Rom.  II.  13.  states  the  rule  of  legal  justification."  No  doubt 
St.  Paul  might  properly  have  stated  this  rule  in  the  very  terms 
here  used,  but  the  context  shews,  that  such  was  not  his  intention. 
The  true  meaning  is  supposed  to  be  as  above  explained. — "  Since 
writing  this,  I  see  that  Morus,  who  is  referred  to  in  the  note  on 
Ernesti,  agrees  with  the  view  here  given;  observing,  (Herm.  Sac. 
vol.  II.  p.  16.)  with  respect  to  the  apparent  opposition  between 
Rom.  III.  28.  and  this  verse,  that  the  design  of  the  authour,  and 
the  different  meanings  of  the  iiamo  t«t'mc,  must  be  considered.  In 
p.  17.  he  shews  that  the  design  of  the  two  passages  is  quite  differ- 
ent. His  remarks  in  p.  18.  are  so  judicious,  that  the  reader  will 
not,  I  think,  be  displeased  to  sec  a  translation  of  them.  "  The 
terms  justification,  salvation,  new  man,  faith,  are  used  in  various 
senses,  and  therefore  are  not  always  to  be  explained  in  the  same 
way.  Attention  to  this  will  remove  apparent  opposition.  And 
many  objections  to  Christianity  would  never  have  been  urged,  if 
S'lKdinv  had  not  been  invariably  translated  to  justify.,  e^ya.  works  ; 
and  so  in  other  similar  instances.  Whenever  the  phrase  to  be 
justified  is  uttered,  the  hearer  immediately  attaches  to  it  the  idea 
of  obtaining  remisaion  of  sins ;  whereas  this  is  not  always  its 
meaning.  In  Rom.  II.  13.  S^iKxiv^fic-ovrtti  signifies,  will  be  afi- 
firoved  of  by  God,  will  be  reiparded  by  him.  The  discourse  has 
nothing  to  do  with  remission  of  sins." 

14.  15.]  Ti*.^  is  rather  illustrative  than  illative.  The  sense  of 
these  verses  seems  to  me  to  be  this :  '  For  while  Gentiles,  who 
are  destitute  of  any  directly  revealed  law,  do  in  this  situation 
((pvirei  is  synonymous  with  uvofiui,  v.  12.)  live  conformably  to  the 
general  directions  of  revelation,  although  they  have  no  law  or  sys- 
tem of  this  kind,  as  the  Jews  have,  yet  the  general  principles  of 
duty,  suggested  by  conscience  and  reason,  are  to  govern  them. 
And  these  pi'inciples  are  always  coincident  with  those  of  revela- 
tion, and  are  shewn  in  their  lives.* — Efyav  vef/.ii  is  a  periphrasis  for 
voftev  Kop.  refers  to  Eph.  IV.  12.  and  1  Thess.  I.  3.  It  is  not 
absolutely  certain,  that  in  either  of  these  instances  (f  yov  is  pleonas- 
tick.  Schleus.  in  verb.  15.  cites  t^yet  M-ecx^f  lov  fight.  Plato  (in 
Long.  "^  32.  p.  170.  Ed.  Pearce),  has,  t«  TrXcpnovoi  ih»v  for  the 
lungs,  and  Chrys.  (de  Sacerd.  Ed.  Hughes,  Lib.  IV.  §  2.  p.  164.) 
TO  TT^xyftot,  aXriS-etui  for  the  truth.  Comp.  in  Heb.  1  Chron. 
XIX.  6.  Job  XLI.  3. — ftsra^v  uXXijXar  mutually. — Note,  vv.  13. 
14.  15.  are  to  be  taken  parenthetically. 

16.]     To  evxy.  ^.a'  the  Gospel  which  I  preach. 


ehap.!!.]         ISiotes  on  the  E/iistle  to  the  Romans.  2$ 

18.]  Kop.  thinks  that  uvm  is  understood  after  9-eXvitcx,  but 
the  article  supplies  the  place  of  the  pronoun.  See  Mid.  chap.  V. 
sect.  I.  §  3.  p.  69. — The  Apostle  here  adapts  his  language  to  the 
boasts  of  the  Jews. 

19.]     4>«5-     Gomp.  Matt.  V.  14.  and  Schoett. 
20.]     Exovrcc — vofiuf  having  in  your  law  an  accurate  delinea- 
tion of  correct  doctrine.- 

21.]  Kop.  quotes  from  Jewish  writers,  some  very  apposite 
passages,  similar  to  this. 

22,]  'h^oa-vXtii'  viz.  by  robbing  God  of  his  legal  rights^  and 
appropriating  them  to  their  own  purposes.  Comp.  Mai.  I.  7.  &. 
12.  HI.  8.  et  seq.  This  appears  to  me  more  probable,  than  Le 
Clerc's  ophiion,  that  the  plundering  of  heathen  temples  is  the 
crime  referred  to.  Kop.  adopts  this,  while  he  acknowledges, 
that  he  can  find  no  clear  example,  of  sacrilege  of  this  kind  being 
practised  by  the  Jews,  although  he.  thinks  it  probable,  that  this 
was  the  case,  from  their  views  and  feelings  towards  the  Gentiles. 
Deut.  VII.  25.  prohibits  the  use  of  such  vessels,  'le^or.  refers 
to  the  reservation  for  private  purposes,  of  what  was  appropriated 
to  divine  uses.     Comp.  Wahl  in  verb. 

24.]  The  sentiment  occurs  in  various  places  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment.    See  Isa.  LIL  5.  Ezek.  XXXVI.  2G. 

25.  26,]     rx§  may  be  illative,  or  it  may  be  a  particle  of  transi- 
tion.    lle^irofAT)  is  put  by  a  synedoche  for  Judaism,  and  ccK^ofivTiec 
for  Gentilism.     The  following  has  been  given  as  the  meaning  of 
these  verses :  '  Since  this  is  the  case,  and  you  Jews  are  notori- 
ously guilty,  you  must  expect  no  justification  by  obedience  to  the 
law ;  for  Judaism  would  indeed  benefit  you  in  this  respect,  had 
you  kept  the  law ;  but  as  the  contrary  is  true,  it  ia  no  more  ad- 
vantageous for  this  purpose  than   Heathenism,'     This  suits  the 
scope  of  the  epistle,  but  I  doubt  whether  the  context  will  admit 
such  an  exposition.     In  v.  26.  27.  the  Heathen  are  spoken  of 
hypothetically  as  keeping  the  law ;  but  undoubtedly  not  as  keep- 
ing it  in  perfection,  so  as  to  secure  justification  thereby,  but  only 
in  a  general  sense  as  illustrated  in  v,  14,  and  therefore  it  must  be 
in  this  sense  that  vof/.ov  ir^as-o-jj?  is  used  in  v.  25.  and  consequently 
justification  cannot  be  attached  to  it.     I  should  therefore  prefer 
considering  these  verses  as  parallel  with  12,   13.  14.  and  para- 
phrase them  thus  :  '  Since  this  is  the  case,  (viz,  as  exhibited  in  the 
statement  above  made  in  17 — 24,)  and  you  Jews  are  notoriously 
guilty,  you  are  not  to  expect  the  divine  favour  because  you  have 
the  advantages  of  the  Jewish  religion,  for  this  favour  depends  en- 
tirely upon  the  character  and  conduct  of  men,  adapted  to  whatever 


24  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  IX. 

degree  of  religious  light  they  mav  enjoy,  (although  great  benefits 
are  connected  with  Judaism,  connp.  III.  2.);  so  that  if  the  Gerr- 
tiles  were  to  live  conformably  to  the  general  rules  of  revelation, 
their  situation  would  be  better,  and  their  character  more  agreeable 
to  God  than  yours.* — It  is  well  known  how  much  dependence  the 
Jews  placed  on  their  connexion  with  Abraham,  on  circumcision, 
and  other  outward  observances ;  the  design  of  this  passage  i»  to 
repress  this  overweening  pride,  although  with  a  view  to  the  great 
object  of  the  epistle,  the  method  of  justification. 

27.]  Macknighl  connects  fx  (pvT.  with  wait*,  ttx.  so  also  Kop^ 
thus :  "  And  the  Gentiles,  who  although  they  are  not  impelled  by 
the  terrours  of  divine  laws,  nevertheless  do  many  thingsiwhich  the 
Jewish  law  commands."  He  refers  to  v.  14.  where  inrtt  occurs 
in  this  signification.  He  allows  that,  in  this  sense,  theVollocation 
is  not  sufficiently  accurate,  but  says,  that  such  phraseology,  al- 
though not  sanctioned  by  the  Grecian  elegance,  is  often  to  bef 
found  in  the  New  Testament,  and  especially  in  St.  Paul's  writings. 
I  think  that  Ammon's  view  is  to  be  preferred.  He  translates  the 
whole  verse  thus  :  "  The  heathen  by  birth  who  observes  the  law, 
will  hereafter  overwhelm  you  with  shame,  who  violate  the  lawj 
although  circumcised  and  instructed  in  the  sacred  Scriptures."— 
Macknight  renders  hot  y^xf*..  xat  ^t^ir.  "  by  the  literal  circum- 
cision," prefixing  the  words,  "  though  a  Jew."  It  seems  prefer- 
able to  consider  the  phrase  as  antithetick  to  ix.  <pvT.  etx^.,  making 
it  synonymous  with  £v  vofAu,  v.  12.  and  giving  to  S'l*  the  sense  of 
ivith^  thus :  '  who,  with  the  advantages  of  Scripture  and  circum- 
cision.' To  this  purpose  Kop.  and  Schleus.  in  y^etfAfjLct,  3.  Comp. 
also  Wabl  in  hit,  I.  3.  b. 

28.  29.]  As  if  he  had  said,  *  it  is  not  outward  rites,  but  an 
inward  principle  of  faith  and  obedience,  which  makes  a  man 
acceptable  to  God.' 


CHAPTER  III. 

In  the  former  chapter  the  Jews  as  well  as  the  Gentiles  are  said 
to  have  broken  God's  law ;  in  this  the  charge  against  the  Jews  is 
renewed,  and  proved  by  reference  to  the  Old  Testament,  and  the 
conclusion  is  drawn,  that  neither  Jew  nor  Gentile  can  expect 


Chap.  III.j        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  25 

justification  by  moral  obedience.  The  chapters  are  closely  con- 
nected. 

1.]  This  may  be  a  Jewish  objection  ;  but  it  is  quite  as  probable, 
that  it  is  only  the  Apostle's  interrogative  style.  (Comp.  VIII. 
31—35.  XL  1.  2.  4.  11.  1  Cor.  XV.  32.)  In  either  case,  the 
sense  is  the  same. 

2,3  Comp.  IX.  4.  5.  Some  explain  A«y.  S-m  by  God's  pro- 
mises; others,  divine  revelation  contained  in  the  Jewish  Scrip- 
tures. 

3.]  There  is  a  remarkable  paronomasia  in  this  verse  and  the 
preceding  one.  It  is  not  necessary,  with  Macknight,  to  make  this 
a  Jewish  objection.  The  sense  of  the  verse,  including  f^>)  yev.  of 
the  4th.  is  simply  this :  '  the  impiety  and  unbelief  of  some  Jews 
can  by  no  means  alter  or  make  void  the  divine  promises.*  This 
sentiment  is  expressed  in  the  Apostle's  strong  interrogative  man- 
ner. 

4.3  Kop.  doubts  whether  usage  will  allow  "/ivtrat  B^eti  u^tj- 
he  thinks  it  requires  eft,  and  therefore  alters  the  punctuation 
thus :  yi¥.  S'e'  e  S-ia  &c.  "  rather  be  it  thus :"  kxS-.  yty.  Ps.  LI, 
6,  Sept. 

5.  6.]  Kop.  takes  ^<>6.  here  in  the  sense  of  w/s-ij,  v.  3.  integrity 
in  fulfilling  firomises.,  and  thinks  that  St.  Paul  was  induced  to  use 
it  from  the  previous  use  of  etS'iKtet.  I  see  no  objection  to  under- 
standing it  here  in  the  sense  given  I.  17.  The  objection  probably 
begins  here,  but,  as  Locke  supposes,  is  suddenly  stopped  by  the 
Apostle  with  the  interruption,  rt  £^«,m,£»,  which  is  equivalent  to  rt 
8».  The  meaning  seems  to  be  this:  '  If,  notwithstanding  the  im- 
piety of  some  Jews,  God  remains  faithful  to  his  promises ;  if  their 
impiety  illustrates  and  confirms  that  method  of  justification,  which 
God  hath  established  in  the  Gospel,  and  his  fidelity  becomes  the 

more  conspicuous  by  their  impiety, '     Thus  far  the  objector, 

when  the  Apostle  interposes  with — n  e^nf^ev -,  {An  uS^. — Koirf^ov  i 
'  what  then  is  the  conclusion  that  you  will  draw  ?  that  God  cannot 
justly  punish  them  ?  (with  0  i7ri<p.  rtiv  ogyjjv  comp.  I.  18.)  This 
is  the  conclusion  of  thoughtless  men,  (comp.  1  Cor.  IX.  8.  Kop. 
refers  to  the  Hebrew  in  Eccles.  III.  18.  but  probably  it  is  not 
parallel.  See  Dathe  in  loc),  but  far  be  it  from  us  to  sanction 
it,  for  he  is  the  just  Judge  of  the  world.' 

7.]  The  objection  is  again  resumed  in  different  language. 
Kop.  explains  «a.  Ben^  ■^evT/AXTt^  and  uf<tx^TaXo<;,  in  a  hebraistick 
sense,  as  referring  to  idolatry ;  but  Ammon  very  justly  observes, 
that  i^ft^Je?  here  means  rather  im/iiety  than  idolatry^  and  Locke 
very  properly  consider*  it  as  synonymous  with  sin  in  general,  and 

4 


26  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  Ill- 

used  because  a  proper  antithesis  to  aXtili-eix.  '  If  through  my 
•wickedness,  unbelief,  impiety,  God's  fidelity  is  so  illustrated  as  to 
advance  his  glory,  why  am  I  condemned  as  a  sinner,  since  my 
conduct  illustrates  and  sanctions  his  plans  ?' 

8. J  The  objection  is  here  fully  met.  The  Apostle's  answer 
is,  that  it  resolves  itself  into  that  detestable  principle,  t/iat  the  end 
juatifiea  the  means,  a  principle  worthy  of  universal  condemnation.* 
The  obscurity  of  this  passage  arises  from  its  being  very  greatly 
elliptical.  Kop.  supplies  to  before  and  Xi^u/u-ev  after  f^v,  giving 
this  sense ;  "  and  why  may  we  not  say,  as  we  are  slanderously 
reported  to  assert ;"  or,  supplying  n  before  jttJj,  and  reading  it 
in  connexion  with  ToiTiB-uf^a,  the  intermediate  words  being  in  a 
parenthesis,  thus :  '  and  why  may  we  not  do  evil  to  promote  good, 
as  we  are,  Sec'  A  variety  of  views  has  been  given  by  commen- 
tator&.     See  Crit.  Sac.  or  Pol.  Syn.  or  Wolfii  Curse  in  loc. 

9.  J  The  Apostle  having  answered  the  objection,  by  shewing 
that  if  admitted,  it  would  sanction  the  principle  just  denounced, 
now  returns  to  his  purpose.  U^oty^.  '  Have  we  Jews  any  advant- 
age over  the  Gentiles,  in  pleading  exemption  from  sin,  and  ex- 
pecting justification  by  obedience  ?'  Aitixt^ch  means  both  to 
charge  ivith  and  to  convict  of  guilt,  and  is  applicable  here  in 
either  sense. — Kop.  objects  to  the  conmion  translation,  that  sr^ 05;^. 
is  not  in  the  active  voice,  and  that  he  knows  no  example  of  this 
meaning  of  the  middle.  He  approves  therefore  of  rejecting  y«f 
after  ir^eajT.  (see  his  var.  lect.),  and  giving  to  -^^oty;,.  the  sense  of 
prxtexo,  fircetendo,  and  putting  a  wavr*'? — eivai,  in  an  interroga- 
tive form,  thus :  '  What  then  do  we,  or,  may  we,  affect  ?  (Comp. 
"Wahl  in  verb.).  Have  we  not  already  declared  and  proved  of  both 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  are  equally  obnoxious  to  divine 
punishment  ?'  If  his  objection  should  be  insuperable,  I  do  not 
see  why  it  might  not  be  rendered  thus ;  '  how  then  ?  are  we  con- 
quered ?  (viz.  in  the  argument;  does  the  evidence  go  against  our 
doctrine?)  not  at  all,  for.  Sec'  The  context  however  seems  to 
require  the  tense  of  the  active  voice,  and  Theodoret  (in  Rosen.)  ex- 
plains it  by  Ti  ar  x,aTcxof*.ey  Tre^ia-a-oy ;  and  Other  ancient  authorities, 
thus  J  T<  Hv  7r^eKXT£^of<.ey  ?rff  «<rc-ev.     See  Schleus.  in  verb.  2. 

10.]  In  the  Septuagint,  (Ed.  Bos),  this  verse  in  substance,  and 
the  following  verses  to  the  19th.  even  in  language,  occur  in 
Ps.  XIII.,  with  this  exception,  that  Ctto  in  v.  13.  is  added,  and 
that  St.  Paul  has  put  the  sentiment  of  v.  11.  in  the  form  of  an 
exfiress  negation,  which  in  the  Psalm  is  only  plainly  imfilied. 
The  2d.  verse  of  the  Psalm  contains  precisely  the  same  senti- 
ment.    It  is  possible,  that  ot<  hk  ««■<  ^<».  ah  £/?,  may  be  the 


Chap.  III.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  27 

Apostle's  own   remark,   drawn  from   the  passages  immediately 
cited.     On  Ps.  XIII.  3.  Jerome  observes,  (Tom.  II.  p.  146.  Ed, 
Martianay,  Paris,  1699.),  "  ab  hoc  versu  usque  ad  eum,  ubi  di- 
cit :  non  est  timor  Dei  in  conspectu  occulorum  eorum  :  in  He- 
braeis  codicibus  non  habetur.   Quaeritur  ergo,  quomodo  Apostolus 
hoc  usus  sit  testimonio  in  epistola  quam  ad    Romanos  scripsit. 
Respondemus,  Apostolum  de  Deuteronomio  ac  Psalterio  et  cateris 
Scrifiturarum  locis,  hoc  testimonium  texuisse."  He  then  proceeds 
to  comment  on  the  Psalm,  as  it  is  in  the  Septuagint.     Breitinger, 
in  his  edition  of  the  Septuagint,  after  printing  the  passages  at  the 
bottom  of  the  page,  adds,  "  hsec  omnia  ab  Hexaplis  abesse  notat 
Schol."     The  probability  is,  that  they  were  added  to  the  Sep- 
tuagint, in  order  to  make  the  copies  coincide  with  the  epistle ;  not 
that  they  have  been  lost  from  the  Hebrew.  *  They  are  taken  from 
various  places  of  the  Old  Testament;  v.  10  is  from  Ps.  XIV.  1. 
in  sentiment,   11  from  XIV.   2; — 12   from   XIV.  3;— 13  from 
V.  10;— 14  from  X.  7;— 15  to   17  from  Isa.   LIX.    7.  8.   and 
Prov.  I.  16;— 18  from  Ps.  XXXVI.  1.     See  Eras,  in  Crit.  Sac. 
and  comp.  the  note  *  in  Bible  de  Vence,  Tom.  VII.  Ed.  Sec.  p.  390. 
This  view  suits  the  Apostle's  argument  better  than  the  supposi- 
tion, that  they  were  all  taken  from  one  Psalm;  for  by  proving  that 
sinfulness  has  in  various  ages  been  affirmed  of  the  nation  by  their 
own  prophets,  he  shews,  that  it  need  not  surprise  them,  if  the 
charge  is  now  renewed.     N.  B.  The  specifick  charges  here  made, 
are  not  applicable  to  every  individual,  as  is  plain  from  the  context 
of  the  original  passages.     See  particularly  Rom.  XIV.  4.  where 
God's  "  fieofile"   are  mentioned  in  contradistinction  to  those  to 
whom  V.  2.  o.  apply;    so  also  in  v.  5.  "  t/ie  generation    of  the 
righteous,"  and  in  v.  6.  "  the  poor,"  whose  "  refuge  is  the  Lord." 
"  Ea,"  says  Morus,  (Herm.  Sac  Tom.  I.  p.  257.)  in  reference  to 
such  passages  from  the  Psalms,  "  quis  ausit  universe  intelligere  ?" 
It  ought  however  to  be  considered,  that  although  St.  Paul  con- 
ducts his  argument  with  reference  to  the  people  as  a  body,  (comp. 
1. 24 — 31.)  which  was  sufficient  for  his  purpose  ;  yet  the  inference 
which  he  deduces  is  certainly  true  of  every  individual  of  mankind, 
on  all  of  whom  sin  may  justly  be  charged,  though  not  all  the  par- 
ticular sins  here  specified. 

19.]  Ne^tes-  the  Old  Testament.  Comp.  John  X.  34.  XII.  34. 
XV.  25.  As  the  evidence  from  this  source  is  against  the  Jews, 
and  what  had  been  before  said  was  sufficient  evidence  against  the 
Gentiles,  the  conclusion  is  very  fairly  deduced  in  the  next  verse. 

20.]  Kop.  explains  ^mt  </»§  vo^ca  eTriy.  uft.  thus ;  "  we  know 
from  the  sacred  Scriptures,  that  all  men  are  sinners ;"  giving  to 


28  Notes  OH  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  III. 

ve^na  the  same  sense  as  in  v.  19.     But  in  the  words  «|  e^yuv  v9jm.«, 
it  is  plainly  used  of  law  as  a  perfect  rule  of  action,  and  the  mean- 
ing is  this:  '  no  man  can  claim  justification  in  the  sight  of  God  by 
perfect  obedience  lo  any  law  ;'  therefore  )iof4.ii  is  not  used  there  in 
the  same  sense  as  in  v.  19.     It  includes  the  Jewish  law,  but  not  to 
the  exclusion  of  the  original  law  under  which  man  was  created, 
however  made  known,  whether  by   reason  or  revelation.     The 
Apostle  having  used  the  word  in  this  extensive  ^gnification,  im- 
mediately afterwards  uses  it  in  a  similar  one,  to  express  that  same 
original  law  as  published  to  the  Jews  by  Moses.    This  was  natural 
ir.  a  Jewish  writer,  addressing  his  argument  to  persons  under  Jew- 
ish prejudices.     I  think,  therefore,  that  he  here  refers  to  what  is 
more  fully  explained  in  chap.  VII.  viz.  the  nature  of  sin,  and  its 
consequences,  being  brought  home  to  the  conscience  by  the  law, 
and  that  this  part  of  the  verse  may  very  well  be  connected  with 
the  next,  thus:  '  It  need  not  surprise  you,  that  justification  cannot 
be  thus  obtained,  since  the  law  had  quite  a  difi'erent  design,  viz.  to 
bring  ns  21.]  to  the  knowledge  of  sin;  wvt  h^  8cc.  but  now,  under 
the  Gospel,  a  method  of  justification  is  revealed,  of  which  God  is 
the  authour   {S'lit.  S-ea),    and  to  which  all  your  Scriptures  bear 
testimony,  that  method,  which,  rejecting  obedience  as  the  ground 
of  22.]  justification,  (;e'*'?'«  ^ofca),  makes  faith  in  Christ  and  his 
merits  the  only  cause,  and  which  extends  its  benefits  to  all  be- 
lievers, without  discrimination,  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews.'     This 
eonnexion  gives  an  appropriate  meaning  to  yacf,  v.  20. — En  ?r.  »^ 
tvi  V.  is  probably  a  repetition,  intended  to  urge  on  the  mind  of 
the  reader  attention  to  the  universality  of  the  Gospel  scheme,  un- 
less id)  e^t  IT.  be  an  addition  to  the  text.     See  Gries, 

24.]  I  cannot  but  think,  that  Locke's  note  on  this  verse  is  more 
plausible  than  solid.  The  reader  is  referred  to  it.  It  is  true,  as 
he  says,  that  "  sinners  are  justified  by  God  gratis  and  of  his  free 
bounty ;"  but  then  it  is  also  true,  that  this  respects  the  payment 
of  any  compensation  or  equivalent  by  them;  and  whatever  God 
chooses  to  accept,  may  well  be  called  an  equivalent,  on  which 
ground,  as  well  as  on  its  own  sufficiency  to  effect  the  contemplated 
end,  Christ's  sacrifice  was  so.  See  an  excellent  note  of  Whitby 
on  Heb.  X.  14.  In  Eph.  I.  7.  and  Col.  1. 14.  to  which  Mr.  Locke 
refers  to  shew  "  what  redemption  is,"  the  effect  is  put  for  the 
cause ;  and  the  texts  of  the  Old  Testament  all  relate  to  the  same 
fact,  and  only  prove  that  the  word  redemfition  is  sometimes  used 
for  deliverance  merely,  without  any  reference  to  the  etymological 
force  of  the  original.  This  is  expressly  admitted  by  Kop.,  who 
refers  to  Rom.  VIII.  25.  Eph.  IV.  30.,  while  he  considers  this 


Chap.  III.]         Notes  oil  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  29 

text,  as  well  as  Eph.  I.  7.  as  expressing  "  deliverance  from  divine 
punishment,  effected  by  Christ's  death."  See  his  note  on  ILoh. 
I.  7. — With  respect  to  the  concluding  remark  in  Mr.  Locke's 
note,  "  that  if  we  will  strictly  adhere  to  the  metaphor,  the  price 
paid  must  be  to  those  from  whom  we  are  redeemed,  viz.  Sin  and 
Satan;  (comp.  Tit.  II.  14.);  and  that  the  price  could  not  be  paid 
to  God  in  strictness  of  justice,  unless  the  same  person  ought  to 
have  the  thing  redeemed  (comp.  Rev.  V.  9.)  and  the  price  paid  ; 
it  is  a  fair  answer,  that  in  Titus,  iniquity  is  plainly  put  for  the 
guilt,  dominion  and  effects  of  it,  and  these  being  under  God's  con- 
troul,  coming  on  the  sinner  through  God's  permission,  and  re- 
moveable  by  means  which  God  alone  could  adopt,  the  redemption 
price,  (using  a  figurative  term),  may  well  be  said  to  be  paid  to 
God  ;  and  as  he  accepted  it,  it  may  well  be  said  to  be  satisfactory, 
Wahl  seems  to  have  an  eye  to  some  such  objection  as  this,  when 
he  says  under  the  word  etT»?iVT^a(ni,  "  redemtio,  i.  e,  liberatio, 
quae  fit  per  pretii  solutionem.  Ita  dicitur  de  liberatione  a  pecca- 
torum  pcenis,  parata  per  Christum,  qui  vitam  deponens  Xvr^ov 
quasi  persolvit,"  adding  in  brackets,  "  [Deo  ne,  an  diabolo  i  in- 
epte.]"  He  refers  to  Eph.  I.  7.  Col.  I.  14.  Rom.  III.  24.  and 
Heb.  IX.  15. 

25.]  U^oeB-ero-  '  hath  determined,'  says  Kop.  "  Voluit,  consii- 
tuerat  apud  se  inde  ab  antiquissimis  temporibus,"  remarking  that 
God's  eternal  purpose  is  called  -r^oB-sa-ti  in  VIII.  28.  and  else- 
where. Schleus  gives  the  same  meaning  in  verb.  2.  Comp.  I.  13. 
Eph.  I.  9.*  But  Ammon  observes,  that  this  requires  enxt  or 
eo-eo-Bai,  as  in  Eph.  I.  4. — Wahl  in  verb.  1.  as  the  Eng.  Trans. 
«  hath  set  forth,"  "  publice  proposuit." — Storr, '  hath  substituted  ;' 
"  Deus  igitur  substituit  Christum  in  locum  reorum."  Opus.  Acad. 
Tom.  I.  p.  190.  note  11.)  Kop.  allows  that  it  has  this  sense,  and 
quotes  a  passage  from  Euripides,  where  it  is  used  for  «»r/(J«v«<. 
Any  one  of  these  versions  makes  a  good  sense,  consistent  with 
usage  and  the  analogy  of  Scripture.  "  Set  forth"  is  probably  the 
best,  as  the  context  conveys  the  idea  of  publicity  in  the  act. — 
lA«s-»}g<«v  This  word  is  used  for  the  cover  of  the  ark,  on  which 
the  blood  of  the  victim  was  sprinkled  on  the  day  of  expiation. 
Comp.  Levit.  XVI.  13.  14.  15.  in  Sept.  and  Heb.  IX.  5.    Hence 


•  It  is  extraordinary  however,  that  under  the  word  h<trMgfov,  Schleus. 
should  give  the  meaning  of  "  set  forth ;"  "  quam  Deus  proposuit,  &c." 
It  is  presumeable  that  what  occurs  under  vgori^HfAt  is  to  be  considered 
as  the  last  result  of  the  authour's  reflections.  There  be  has,  "  quem 
decrevitf  seu  daHnavit  Deus." 


so  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,        [Chap.  III. 

some  commentators  have  taken  it  in  that  sense  here.  See  Mac- 
knight,  who  seems  to  adopt  this  view.  It  is  however  judiciously 
remarked  by  Kop.,  that  this  exposition  involves  a  confusion  of 
figure,  Christ  being  spoken  of  as  the  propitiatory  itself,  and  as  the 
victim  whose  blood  was  sprinkled  on  it.  He  therefore  prefers 
(and  Macknight  by  no  means  objects  to  this  view)  taking  iA«r.  in 
the  sense  of  firo/iitiatory  sacrifice,  understanding  ^vf*.cc.  So  also 
Storr,  ubi  sup.  and  Schleus.  in  verb.  1.  E<«  cvS".  tth  hx.  av.  *'  to 
shew  his  righteousness;"  Slorr,  ubi  sup.  p.  191.  "  Righteous- 
ness in  keeping  his  word,"  veracity ;  Locke.  "  Benignity,"  as 
hx.  is  repeatedly  used  in  the  Septuagint ;  Kop.  Any  of  these  is 
admitted  by  usage,  but  benignity  will  hardly  suit  the  context,  I 
think,  as  ^iKxio^  in  v.  26.  cannot  mean  benignant ;  and  the  argu- 
ment requires  the  same  meaning  to  be  contained  in  S^iKxiou-vtr)  as 
is  expressed  by  haaioy.  Justice  is  most  probably  the  true  mean- 
ing. Perhajts  justice  and  benignity  may  both  be  implied,  thus  : 
"  To  shew  liis  benignity  by  the  forgiveness  of  past  26.]  sins, 
through  God's  indulgence;  to  shew  his  benignity  and  justice  now 
under  the  Gospel,  that  he  may  be  jnst"  (i.  e.  may  be  seen  and 
acknowledged  as  such  ;  comp.  2  Cor.  IV.  7.)  "  and  yet  so  benig- 
nant as  to  justify  the  believer." — After  all,  it  is  not  impossible 
that  the  meaning  given  to  ^«x.  in  I.  17.  is  also  the  sense  of  it 
here. 

27.]  Aice  TTotu  vef^LH ;  *  by  what  system  ?'  or, '  by  what  means  ? 
how  ?*  vof*.ei  is  here  used,  because  it  has  been  frequently  used  be- 
fore in  the  argument.  Such  use  of  terms  is  very  common  vrith 
St.  Paul.  Comp.  VIII.  2. — twv  e^ym ; — Trirevg-  '  by  the  law 
which  requires  works  as  the  ground  of  justification?  No  surely, 
but  by  the  Gospel,  which  makes  faith  its  foundation.' 

30.]  I  do  not  know  why  S'tx  rta  Tnnui  is  used,  when  bx.  Tircui 
just  before  occurred,  and  apparently  in  the  same  sense,  unless  it 
mean  this ;  '  through  the  same  faith  by  which  God  will  justify  the 
Jews.' 

3 1 .]  Kop.  takes  »«a<^»  in  the  same  sense  which  he  gives  to  it 
V.  20.  paraphrasing  the  text  thus  :  '  Does  this  doctrine  of  justifi- 
cation by  faith  oppose  the  representations  of  your  own  Scriptures  ? 
On  the  contrary,  it  is  in  unison  with  them,  and  is  supported  by 
them.'  He  then  connects  this  verse  with  the  next  chapter,  where- 
in the  passage  from  the  Psalms,  and  the  example  of  Abraham,  are 
adduced,  he  thinks,  to  illustrate  it. — The  following  seems  to  me 
to  be,  however,  preferable  :  '  Do  we  intimate  by  this  doctrine  that 
the  law  of  Moses  is  useless  ?  No,  we  establish  its  utility,  by 
shewing  that  it  displays  the  nature  of  sin,  (v.  20.)  and  illustrates 


Chap.  IV.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  Si 

the  necessity  of  faith.'  Comp.  chap.  VII.  and  Gal.  III.  24. — 
Either  view  removes  Macknight's  objection,  that  "  it  is  not  true 
of  the  law  of  Moses  in  general,  that  the  Apostle  established  it  by 
his  doctrine  of  justification  through  faith ;"  for  the  truth  or  false- 
hood of  this,  depends  entirely  upon  the  sense  in  which  its  establish- 
ment is  to  be  understood. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

1.]  Some  explain  this  verse  thus:  "What  therefore?  Shall 
we  say  '  that  we  have  found  Abraham  our  ancestor  ?'  or,  '  that 
Abraham  is  our  ancestor  ?"  ev^ti>cev»t  being  pleonastick,  as  it  fre- 
quently is.  See  Schleus.  11.  This  agrees  very  well  with  the 
state  of  Jewish  feeling  and  pride,  (comp.  Matt.  III.  9.)  and  also 
with  the  usage  of  kix.tx  a-x^xx.  (Comp.  I.  3.)  The  meaning  will 
then  be,  '  shall  we  make  our  lineal  descent  from  the  patriarch 
Abraham  a  foundation  for  boasting?'  But  the  Greek  will  hardly 
bear  this  sense  without  being  forced.  See  Kop.  He  makes  av 
a  mere  particle  of  transition,  and  gives  this  explanation  :  '  Shall 
we  say  that  Abraham  derived  any  benefit  by  external  dignity  of 
birth  and  family  ?'  x«t«  c-x^kx  is  used  for  outward  circumstances 
relating  to  a  person.  It  may  be  taken  here  however  in  its  com- 
mon meaning,  as  in  I.  3.  if  an  ellipsis  be  admitted.  '  What  then  ? 
Shall  we  say  that  Abraham  our  ancestor  (rev  ttxtb^x  vi^a*  xxtx 
Tx^Kx)  hath  found  ?'  viz.  justification  in  the  manner  in  which  the 
Jews  expected  it.  But  it  appears  to  me  to  be  more  agreeable  to 
the  style  of  the  epistle,  to  put  the  interrogation  after  e^nf^er 
(comp.  III.  5.  VI.  1.  VII.  7.  VIII.  31.  IX.  30.),  thus:  '  What 
shall  we  say  then  ?  What  conclusion  shall  we  come  to  ?  You  Jews 
build  your  hopes  on  your  connexion  with  Abraham  ?  Shall  we  say 
that  he  found  the  benefit  now  under  consideration,  by  external  ob- 
servances ?'  8-96^1  is  often  used  in  this  sense,  and  is  thus  explained 
by  Storr,  ubi  sup.  p.  227.  "  quatenus  circumcisus  erat."  Comp. 
Whitby. 

2.]  Here  Kop.  supplies  tt^o?  t»?  xvB-^uTrui  after  Kxvx>if*ot  to 
make  an  antithesis  with  «-f«i  to»  S'fov,  and  gives  to  hxxieva-B-xi  the 
sense  of  being  righteous  and  good  before  men,  thus ;  "  if  Abra- 
ham were  a  good  man,  he  had  indeed  whereof  to  glory  (before 
menj,  but  by  no  means  before  God,  whose  laws  he  was  bound  to 


32  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  IV. 

obey,  and  in  a  degree  of  perfection  even  beyond  his  ability."  Thus 
also  Seller,  whose  note  is  this;  "  in  the  sight  of  man,  Abraham 
has  the  honour  of  being  righteous,  but  not  in  the  sight  of  God, 
in  whose  judgment  he,  as  well  as  all  other  men,  is  a  sinner."  I 
have  long  thought  that  the  passage  is  elliptical,  and  that  the 
Apostle's  argument  required  a  different  punctuation.  The  ques- 
tion in  the  first  verse  being  considered  as  a  negation,  the  argument 
proceeds  thus  :  '  For  if  Abraham  were  justified  by  works,  he  hath 
a  ground  of  boasting,  (£%«'  Kxv^tjfM,-  then  ix^'  being  understood 
after  ev, — «aa'  tuc  tx,ti  t^«s  rov  ©fov,  T/  y*^,  8cc.) ;  but  he  hath 
none  before  God,  (however  honourable  and  righteous  he  ought  to 
bf  esteemed  by  men,  which  St.  Paul  does  not  express,  knowing 
that  to  every  Jew  the  idea  would  suggest  itself;)  for  what  saith 
the  Scripture  ?  (it  places  his  justification  on  a  very  different  foot- 
ing;) Abraham  believed,  &c.'  Comp.  Wetstein,  who  observes, 
that  it  is  much  more  simple  to  understand  jt^o?  rev  ©tav.  "  Si 
enim  ex  operibus  justificatus  fuisset,  habuisset  utique,  quod  gloria- 
retur  apud  Deum." — The  exposition  which  Semler  gives  of  ^f«? 
T01  ©£«»  IS  improbable,  and  I  may  say  disgusting.  He  considers 
it  as  equivalent  to  Cicero's  "  per  Deum  immortalem  !"  or  the 
Greek  vj>  Atcc. — Ammon  prefers  the  first  exposition,  because  of 
James  II.  21.  which  has  repeatedly  been  reconciled  with  the  doc- 
trine of  this  epistle,  and  because  such  was  the  opinion  of  the  Jew- 
ish teachers.  But  it  ought  to  be  considered,  that  one  design  of 
the  epistle  was  to  correct  their  errours. 

5.]  As-cQvi  refers  probably  to  the  state  of  a  Gentile,  as  well  as 
to  that  of  Abraham. 

6.]  Aey.  h>t.  literally,  reckoneth  righteousness,  i.  e.  considers 
as  righc  JUS,  and  promises  the  consequent  felicity  of  such  a  state. 
It  is  plain,  that  St.  Paul  does  not  speak  of  imfiuting  Christ'* 
righteousness  to  a  man,  but  simply  of  considering  and  treating  a 
man  as  if  he  were  righteous,  and  that  in  consequence  of  his  faith. 
On  this  subject,  see  Whitby's  discourse  subjoined  to  his  Com- 
mentary on  1  Cor.  p.  217  et  seq.  of  vol.  II.  ed.  5th.  Lond.  1727. 
tblio;  and  comp.  Macknight  on  v.  3.  note  2, 

7.  8,]  See  Ps.  XXXII.  2.  3.  Sins  and  iniquities  are  here  sup- 
posed to  exist,  consequently  justification  is  obtained  by  their  not 
being  reckoned  to  the  sinner,  (comp.  Storr  as  above  on  I.  17.); 
and  it  is  therefore  %6>^ti  c§ym,  for  such  works  as  would  afford  in 
justice  a  claim  to  the  reward  of  obedience,  imply  perfect  obe- 
dience, which  no  man  in  his  present  state  can  pay. 

From  these  verses  (5 — 8.)  it  is  evident,  that  pardon  of  sins  and 
justification  are  equivalent  terms.    Comp.  Acts  XIII.  38.  39. 


Cihap.  tV.]        Notes  ofi  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  SS 

11. J     S^^f/av  TTs^iT.    The  exegetical  genetive.     Comp.  2  Cor. 

V.  5.  ocppetQuvot  7r)/evft.ccToi;. 

12.3  Kop.  puts  a  colon  after  »-e§iTdiu.iii'  He  considers  tois 
fotxao-i — AQ^ctctiA  as  referring  to  the  Gentiles,  as  in  v.  11.  He  is 
led  to  tJiis  view  by  v.  16.  and  it  is  certainly  not  improbable;  but 
it  does  not  appear  to  me  to  be  necessarily  the  true  one.  See  the 
note  on  that  verse.  The  genetive  ■xe^iroi^vn  followed  immediately 
by  the  dative  tok;,  is  an  instance  of  that  looseness  of  construction 
which  is  not  uncommon  in  Hebrew-Greek;  comp.  Luke  I.  55. 
TT^oi  rag  TFxrs^ecii  'jj.ttiyv  followed  by  rta  AQ^ecxft.  >^  r<a  c-vi^f^xri 
uvra.  Macknight  however,  following  Locke,  makes  an  ellipsis 
of  £ii  ro  >iayia:%v<x.i  Tjjv  haxtacrvvtiv  from  the  1  Itlv  vcrsc.  Their 
exposition  appears  to  me  to  be  quite  satisfactory,  although  the 
construction  just  noticed  makes  the  ellipsis  unnecessary;  '  and 
the  father  of  the  Jews,  not  merely  as  they  are  Jews,  it  is  not  this 
alone  that  is  sufficient,  they  are  to  imitate  the  faith  of  Abraham.' 

13.]  To  >cX:i^ovoy.o\i — noe-/^y  The  same  sentiment  is  expressed 
in  some  of  the  Jewish  writers.  See  Kop.  in  loc.  and  Kuinoel  on 
Matt.  XXVHL  18.  who  cites  from  Tanchuma,  (see  Schoettgen, 
de  Messia,  Lib.  I.  Cap.  HL  §  V.  VHL)  "  Abraham  patri  meo 
Deus  possidendum  dedit  coelum  et  terram,  i.  e."  says  he,  "  orbem 
terrarum,  rav  xoiri^ov"  referring  to  this  text.  Kop.  considers  the 
language  as  an  amplification  of  Gen.  XIL  7.  XHL  15.  XV.  7. 
and  relating  to  that  universal  empire,  which  was  promised  by  the 
prophets  to  Abraham's  posterity,  through  the  Messiah.  Comp. 
Isa.  LIV.  3.  In  whatever  light  this  empire  was  regarded  by  the 
Jews,  (see  Koppe's  Excursus  I.  on  Thessalonians),  it  was  no  doubt 
spiritual  in  its  nature,  and  is  nothing  but  the  extension  of  the  true 
Church  of  God.— Some  consider  the  language  as  expressive 
merely  of  the  vast  number  of  Abraham's  offspring ;  Locke  and 
others,  of  the  extent  of  true  religion,  all  believers  being  regarded 
as  Abraham's  children.  But,  as  Macknight  observes,  (note  3.) 
"  the  inheritance  was  promised  to  Abraham's  seed*'  as  well  as  tp 
himself;  i(  then  by  the  world  here  is  meant  the  whole  body  of 
believers,  they  will  be  identified  with  the  seed,  and  this  seed  will 
be  heir  (lord)  of  itself.— Storr  considers  <r^e^/^x  as  having  a  re- 
ference both  to  Christ  (Gal.  HL  16.),  and  to  believers;  and  this 
suits  the  analogy  of  Scripture,  in  which  they  are  constantly  re- 
presented as  intimately  connected.  "  Cum  Palestinae  possessione, 
&c.  Along  with  the  possession  of  Palestine,  a  more  ample  in- 
heritance was  at  the  same  time  promised,  that  of  the  world,  which 
that  principal  offspring  of  Abraham  mentioned  in  Gal.  HL  16.  19. 
tvas  to  obtain  in  the  proper  sense,  (Heb.  I.  2.) ;  but  still  in  such 

5 


84  Notes  on  t7ie  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        [Chap.  IV. 

a  manner,  that  as  many  as  should  become  united  by  faith  to  that 
offspring  of  Abraham,  should  themselves  also,  as  Abraham's  off- 
spring, (Gal.  III.  29.)  become  thereby,*  each  in  his  own  propor- 
tion, panakers  of  that  most  ample  inheritance.  (Rom.  VIII.  17.)" 
Ubi  sup.  p.  230.  note  85. 

15.]  This  verse  may  with  propriety  be  put  in  a  parenthesis. 
The  meaning  seems  to  be  this :  '  The  law  had  a  very  different  ob- 
ject in  view,  (viz.  than  to  make  men  heirs,  comp.  v.  14.),  and  must 
have  from  its  very  nature.  It  displays  guilt,  and  produces  appre- 
hension of  punishment ;  for  where  there  is  no  law  producing  obli- 
gation, there  can  be  no  transgression,  which  of  course  presumes 
some  correspondent  obligation.' 

16. J  n«vT<  reo  a-Tir.  '  to  the  whole  seed,  not  to  those  only  who 
are  Jews,  participating  in  the  benefits  of  the  law,  but  to  those  also, 
who,  although  they  have  not  the  law,  partake  of  the  same  prin- 
ciple of  faith  which  Abraham  had.'  This  meaning,  I  think,  the 
construction  requires.  By  ra>  tx,  m  vtf^a  is  certainly  meant  a 
part  of  the  rTre^f^u.  just  before  mentioned,  and  the  t&»  tx.  virtue 
aQ.  is  the  other  part ;  therefore  /it«»ov  cannot  have  the  same  sense 
as  is  given  to  it  in  v.  12.  But  this  is  no  objection  to  the  sense  of 
merely  there  given,  as  it  is  very  usual  with  St.  Paul  to  employ  the 
same  words  in  different  senses,  and  even  in  the  same  connexion. 
The  use  of  vaftoj  has  already  supplied  us  with  some  instances.— 
necyrwv  '^jm,»v  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews. 

17.j  See  Gen.  XVII.  5. — Keextv.  V  Some  consider  this  as 
synonymous  with  et^^  'a  or  S'lort,  in  consequence  of,  because. 
Thus  Schleus.  in  verb.  2.  "  propterea  quod  fidem  habuit  Deo ;" 
which  Kop.  says  is  not  sanctioned  by  usage.  He  considers  it 
as  equivalent  to  ^tx  m  Bm,  by  God's  power,  like  the  Heb. 
?|*JsD7  in  2  Sam.  VII.  16.  The  common  version,  be/ore,  in 
the  firesence  of,  (which  seems  also  to  be  the  meaning  of  ^♦Jf)  7 

•      o  \    •  •  I     V  T    : 

m  Sam.)  is  quite  clear  and  intelligible,  and  generally  adopted  by 
the  writers  in  the  Crit.  Sac.  It  is  preferred  also  by  Wahl,  in 
verb.  2.  and  is  the  usual  translation  of  ^}^  and  ♦.Jfl?  in  the 
Septuagint.  See  Schleus.  Thes.  Vet.  Test,  in  verb,  and  Trom. 
Concord.  5.  13. — T»  ^ae. — »»t<«  refers  probably  to  the  extra- 
ordinary birth  of  Isaac,  (comp.  v.  19.  and  Heb.  IX.  19.  which 
perhaps  relates  to  the  same  subject,  although  this  is  somewhat 


•  "  Per  earn ;"  whether  the  authour  means  "  fides"  or  •'  soboles,"  is 
uncertain.  The  ambiguity  I  have  endeavoured  to  express  in  the  transla- 
tion. 


Chap.  IV.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  35 

uncertain),  and  also  to  the  state  of  the  Gentiles  before  they  re- 
ceived the  Gospel.  See  Whitby  and  comp.  etTi^tj  v.  5.  and 
1  Cor.  I.  28. — Kop.  considers  this  phraseology  as  a  description 
of  God's  majesty,  drawn  from  the  divine  determination  of  the 
state  of  men  before  their  existence,  and  from  the  resurrection. 
This  may  be,  and  it  is  certain  that  similar  language  is  used  of  the 
creation  of  the  world ;  yet  the  Apostle  may  have  adopted  this 
language,  in  the  sense  above  suggested,  as  well  as  in  this. — This 
verse  is  connected  with  the  preceding,  thus ;  '  however  Abraham 
may  be  considered  by  the  ivortd  in  general,  or  by  Jews,  he  is 
in  (he  sight  of  God,  in  whom  he  believed,  &c.  the  spiritual  father 
of  all  believers,  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews.' 

18.]  E?r'  eXTTiSt.  confidently,  a  hebraism.  Comp.  I.  4.  E/« 
Tfl  ya.  Not  in  order  that  he  might  become,  but,  s-o  as  to  become.— 
The  citation  from  Gen.  XV.  5.  is  imperfect.  This  was  a  very 
usual  method  of  quoting,  the  deficiency  being  supposed  to  be 
supplied  with  ease  by  the  reader.     Comp.  on  VII.  7. 

20,]  Ot;  htK  TV)  xTT.  literally, — he  did  not  hesitate  through 
unbelief,  meaning,  he  had  not  the  least  distrust  of  God's  promise. 

25.]  AiK,  although  used  in  each  clause  on  account  of  the 
parallelism,  must  be  understood,  as  Kop.  observes,  in  different 
senses,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  subject. 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Apostle  has  shewn  that  mankind  being  all  sinners,  must 
not  expect  justification  by  obedience,  but  only  through  faith, 
which  secures  this  blessing  to  Gentiles  as  well  as  to  Jews,  (chaps. 
I.  II.  III.) ;  that  the  Jews  had  no  reason  to  be  surprised  at  this 
doctrine,  which  was  by  no  means  a  novel  one,  as  it  is  recognized 
in  the  language  of  David,  and  in  the  history  of  Abraham,  so  far 
was  the  account  of  that  patriarch  from  giving  any  sanction  to  the 
erroneous  views  of  his  posterity,  (chap.  IV-)*  ^^  "°^  proceeds 
to  trace  the  effects  flowing  from  justification  by  faith  (V.  1  —  II.), 
and  adapts  his  phraseology  more  particularly  to  the  Gentile  con- 
verts, though  certainly  his  declarations  are  equally  applicable  to 
all  true  believers. 

1.]  "  He  is  to  be  considered  (says  Storr,  ubi  sup.  p.  245.)  as 
justified  by  faith,  (Gal.  III.  8.  ?A.  Rom.  V.  I.  Gal.  II.  15.  Rom. 


3S  Hlotes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        [Chap.  V. 

III.  30.  28.),  whom,  although  guilty  and  destitute  of  the  praise  of 
righteousness,  (Rom.  IV.  5.  III.  28.  Gal.  II.  16.),  God  considers 
as  innocent  and  righteous,  on  account  of  his  trust  in  Christ,  (Gal. 
II.  16.  Acts  XIII.  39.  Rom.  III.  26.),  and  his  death,  (Rom.  III. 
25.  V.  9.),  and  in  God  (IV.  5.  24.  VIII.  33.)  for  Christ's  sake, 
and  to  whom,  on  this  condition,  he  ascribes  freedom  from  punish- 
ment, and  also  blessedness."* 

2]  Tjjv  x*^-  '■*«'•  this  favourable  situation,  this  state  of  ac- 
ceptance, in  which  we  are  placed  by  the  Gospel. 

3.]  Of — neivX'  nay,  we  even  boast.  Comp.  v.  11. — usra/it..  is 
taken  in  the  sense  of  constancy,  perseverance,  by  Kop.  Patience 
is  quite  as  agreeable  to  the  context. 

4.]  AoK.  is  usually  translated  by  proofs  ex}ierie.nce^  Sec,  for  the 
illustration  of  which  see  the  Commentators.  Kop.  Ammon,  Schleus. 
in  verb.  2.  and  Wahl  2.  give  it  this  meaning,  "  firmness  of  mind, 
well  tried  and  proved  by  afflictions."     See  2  Cor.  IX.  13.  where 

S'oKtf^T)  TJJ5   S'txicovixg   occurs  for  S'tccx.ovtx  ^OKtfMi(rS-etc-x. 

5]  Ov  KccroiiF.  deceives  not.  A  raeiosis.  Comp.  I.  16.— 
'Ot<— 'j}/A<y.  I  cannot  think  that  this  passage  refers  exclusively 
to  the  effusion  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  rather  to  his 
agency  in  the  most  general  sense,  implying  miraculous  as  well 
as  ordinary  communications.  Thus  what  was  external  would  "  be 
evidence  to  believing  Jews,"  that  "  believing  Gentiles"  were,  as 
well  as  themselves,  received  into  God's  favour ;  and  the  inward 
effects  of  divine  influence,  which  seems  to  be  plainly  referred  to 
in  the  words  iv  r»i<;  y.x^S'ictii  'nii^m,  were  doubtless,  as  well  as  the 
other,  sufficient  proof  to  the  Gentile  converts,  that  the  hope  which 
they  cherished  would  not  disappoint  them.  Ex^fw  and  t^xvyu  are 
used  of  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  (comp.  Acts  II.  17.  18.  33.  X.  45.),t 
yet  they  are  equally  applicable  to  his  gracious  influences  also,  and 


*  I  believe  the  meaning  of  the  original  is  above  given  with  fidelity ; 
but  as  Storr's  Latin  evidently  partakes  of  the  complicated  construction  of 
German  sentences,  I  subjoin  the  original,  that  the  reader  may  judge  for 
himself.  *'  E»  seu  Sicl  ttitio);  ifiKanxa-d-ttt  existimandus  est,  cui  Deus, 
quamvis  sonti,  et  probitatis  laude  destitute,  fiduciam,  in  Christo  ejusque 
morte,  et  propter  Christum  in  Deo  positam,  Imputat,  tanquam  si  insons 
et  probus  sit,  eoque  nomine  et  Impunitatem  et  beatitatem  attrlbuit." 

■J-  See  also  Bishop  White's  Comparative  Views  of  the  Controversy  be- 
tween the  Calvinists  and  the  Arminians,  P.irt  I.  Vol.  i.  p.  22.  The  reader 
will  find  in  this  work,  as  well  as  in  the  Dissertations  of  the  same  Rt.  Uev. 
Authour  on  the  Catechism,  a  great  deal  of  very  valuable  information  and 
profound  discussion,  on  some  of  the  most  important  topicks  of  Divinity. 
They  are  particularly  recommended  to  the  student  of  Theology. 


Ciiap.  v.]        Notes  on  the  Efiistle  to  the  Romans.  S^ 

Exj^cu  is  so  used  in  Tit.  Ill,  6.     Kop.  remarks,  that  the  idea  of 
abundance  is  usually  implied. 

6.]  In  the  use  of  etirS-.  and  <x,<reQ.  here,  and  of  ct.iA.x^.  and  e^.  vv. 
8.  10.  there  is  probably,  as  Locke  remarks,  a  particular  reference 
to  the  Gentiles.  The  terms  however  are  quite  applicable  to  all 
men,  in  a  state  of  nature. 

7.]  Semler  most  unwarrantably  considers  this  verse  as  a  gloss 
added  to  the  text.  See  Kop.  Var.  Lect.  There  is  some  difficulty 
in  ascertaining  the  signification  of  S'txoiteg  and  .««y<«S-05.  Findeisen 
(whose  discussion  is  in  the  Com.  Theol.  Tom.  IV.  pp.  353 — 357) 
takes  S'lK.  in  the  sense  of  «|<a5,  and  understands  the  infiniiive 
ccTToS-xveiv,  thus:  "  For  scarcely  will  any  on©  die  for  a  man,  wliu  ia 
himself  deserving  of  death ;  altliough  one  might  perhaps  be  will- 
ing to  die  for  an  innocent  person."  This  interpretation  suits  the 
context,  but  the  absence  of  the  infinitive  is  a  serious  objection  to 
it. — Raphel  remarks,  (see  his  Annotationes  Plululogicse  in  N.  T. 
ex  Xenophonte,  &c.  8vo,  ed.  Leyden,  1747.  Tom  II.  p.  252.), 
that  the  Greek  writers  make  a  distinction  between  S'txoito^  and 
«cy«-9-fl?,  understanding  by  the  former  an  upright  man,  one  who 
obeys  the  laws,  gives  to  every  one  his  own,  and  does  no  injury  ; 
and  by  the  latter,  one  who  does  not  confine  himself  to  the  requisi- 
tions of  the  laws,  a  kind,  amiable  man,  who  does  all  the  good  in 
his  power.  This  distinction  illustrates,  he  thinks,  the  meanini^;  of 
the  words  in  this  passage. — Vorst  (de  Hebraismis  N  T.  8vo.  Ed. 
Fischer,  Lips.  1778.  pp.  55.  56.)  considers  ^ik.  a^  equivalent  to 
the  Heb.  p^lVi  meaning  a  pious  and  good  man,  and  oiy.,  whicU 
immediately  follows,  as  synonymous  and  explanatory.  Kop.  agrees 
with  him  in  his  explanation  of  hx.y  but  takes  ay.  in  the  sense  of 
ayot^oTToiuv,  referring  to  Matt.  XX.  15.  and  to  some  classick  au- 
thours.  See  also  Heb.  X.  20.  where  ^urxv  occurs  for  ^6,o?romG-xVf 
and  John  VI.  51.     This  is  quite  satisfactory. 

lO.j  Ev  T7\  ^«*r  etvTu.  Referring  to  his  ability  to  save :  "Vita 
omnis  vim  agendi  in  se  continet."  Grot,  in  Crit.  Sac.  Tom.  VII. 
p.  716. — "  In  resurrectione  illius  ad  vitam."  Clarius,  ib.  p.  708. 
— Kop.  observes  very  correctly,  that  it  is  added  on  account  of  the 
parallelism,  and  is  equivalent  to  ^«vt«5  xvth-  "  Nunc  quum  ille 
resuscitatus  e  mortuis  vivit,  nostramque  causam  apud  patrcm 
agit."     Comp.  Heb.  VII.  25. 

11.]  Tjjv  X.XT.  iXcc^.  «  We  have  received,"  (not  so  properly 
"  the  atonement,"  as  our  translation  has  it,  but)  reconciliation  ; 
or,  have  been  reconciled^  XxfiSxisiv  xxrxMxytiv  being  equivalent 
to  KXTxXXxa-a-ea-^i-xt.     Comp.  Whitby. 

12,]    The  remainder  of  this  chapter  is  difficult,  and  has  been 


S8  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  V. 

variously  understood.  It  seems  to  be  the  design  of  St.  Paul  to 
shew,  that  as  the  effects  of  Adam's  fall  extended  to  all  mankind, 
so  do  those  of  Christ's  atonement,  from  the  benefits  of  which  the 
Gentiles  were  no  more  excluded  than  the  Jews.  It  ought  to  be 
considered,  that  as  St.  Paul  had  not  been  at  Rome,  he  avails  him- 
self of  opportunities  which  his  subject  suggested,  to  enlarge  occa- 
sionally on  the  more  prominent  points  of  the  Gospel.  The  idea 
of  our  having  been  reconciled  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  seems 
to  suggest  to  him  an  amplification  of  the  excellency  of  the  benefits 
which  we  thus  receive,  and  leads  him  to  draw  a  parallel  between 
them,  and  the  injury  which  we  sustain  by  the  fall  of  Adam.  He 
had  shewn,  that  neither  Jews  nor  Gentiles  could  be  saved  by 
works;  that  Abraham  himself  was  jusufied  by  faith;  and  that 
consequently  salvation  must  be  expected  only  through  the  Gospel, 
the  superiority  of  which  over  every  other  system,  he  now  proceeds 
to  illustrate. 

Macknight  connects  ^loc  tuto  with  £A«C.  v.  11.  (after  which  he 
puts  a  comma),  and  considers  it  as  expressing  the  reason  of  ©ur 
being  thus  reconciled.  See  his  paraphrase  and  note.  Aia  mrt 
is  sometimes,  but  I  believe  rarely,  placed  thus  at  the  end  of  a  sen- 
tence, or  clause  of  a  sentence.  See  Kuin.  and  Wolf  on  John 
VII.  21.  and  notice  Griesbach's  punctuation  there.  I  see  no 
reason  why  the  usual  punctuation  may  not  be  continued  here ;  ^<« 
T«T«  may  have  the  sense  of  firofiterea^  (see  Wahl  in  ^la,  II.  1.  a.), 
nvherefore^  consistentl'^  with  what  has  beeii  already  stated.  Thus 
Grot-:  "  Hsec  cum  ita  se  habeant,  ut  diximus;"  who  observes, 
that  it  is  not  intended  to  give  a  reason  for  what  had  been  before 
said.  'OvTMc,'  thus,  in  consequence  of  this  one  man's  sin. — Ta.(p*  'u'- 
Schleus.  II.  10.  places  it  with  those  texts  where  it  means  o/i'er, 
but  this  does  not  suit  the  scope  of  the  place.  Kop.  explains  it  by 
S'toTi,  because.,  inasmuch  as,  adding  from  Varinus,  "  E<p*  'a>  t»?» 
xA«5r>jv  ti^yxo-u^  k»i  f<p*  o<?  rav  yoftov  a  rti^eti^  koXccoSjjo-)),  because 
thou  hast  committed  the  theft,  and  because  thou  hast  not  kept  the 
law,  thou  shalt  be  punished."  This  seems  to  be  the  meaning  of 
our  translation  ^^/or  that."  Comp.  Wahl  in  S'icc  II.  6.  who  ren- 
ders it  "  profiterea  quod"  considering  it  as  equivalent  to  tvt 
TUTco  oT/,  inasmuch  as.  Grot,  translates  it  by  luhom.  Comp. 
Acts  III.  16.  1  Cor.  VIII.  11.  Kop.  objects  to  this  version,  to 
defend  which,  he  says,  such  forms  must  be  adduced  as,  «ft«fT<»v£<» 
tvi  rivt  in  the  sense  of  sinning'  when  another  sins.  I  do  not  see 
the  necessity  of  this,  and  instead  of  being  against  the  context,  as 
he  observes  also,  it  appears  to  be  in  perfect  unison  with  it.  Xlctira 
■»ft.»§Ter    Kop.  inclines  to  the  exposition,  which  explains  these 


Chap,  v.]         Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  S9 

words  of  the  imputation  of  Adam's  sin  ;  because  of  Heb.  VII.  9. 
10.  (where  however  see  Whitby's  note),  and  similar  expressions 
in  Jewish  writers,  from  one  of  whom  he  quotes  the  following : 
"  The  whole  world  sinned  in  the  same  sin  in  which  the  first  man 
sinned,  for  he  was  the  whole  world."  The  literal  translation  is, 
"  all  have  sinned  ;"  the  meaning,  as  the  greater  part  even  of  pole- 
micks  will  allow,  all  have  become  subjected  to  the  consequences  of 
sin.  To  what  degree  they  have  become  subjected,  still  remains 
for  discussion ;  but  to  enter  upon  this,  is  not  the  design  of  these 
notes.  Whatever  doctrine  on  this  subject  may  be  truly  deduced 
from  Scripture  generally,  it  is  evident,  that  mortality  brought 
upon  mankind  by  the  sin  of  Adam,  is  the  degree  of  subjection 
to  the  consequences  of  sin,  which  is  included  in  the  word  'tjfix^raVf 
and  referred  to  in  the  following  verses.  Locke's  interpretation, 
with  which  the  view  just  given  coincides,  "  all  Adam's  posterity 
thereby  became  mortal,"  is  charged  by  Kop.  with  doing  violence 
to  the  language  and  context.  So  far  from  doing  violence  to  the 
context,  it  is  the  design  of  the  very  next  passage  to  prove  that 
position.  And  as  it  respects  the  language,  it  may  be  remarked, 
that  it  is  usual  with  St.  Paul  to  apply  words  suggested  by  the  sub« 
ject  discussed,  or  by  expressions  previously  used.  Of  this  remark, 
the  use  of  ye/*«j  and  <r«^|  in  this  epistle  is  full  proof.  Comp. 
K^ivxTi  and  >i^iva>i^(¥,  XIV.  13.  o-cc^Sa.Tt(r/^ei  in  Heb.  IV.  9.  With 
the  view   above    given  of  'tjiax^tov,    comp.    ^riNCDfl    in   Gen. 

T     T 

XLIII.  8.  which  is  correctly  rendered  by  the  Vulgate,  "  ero  pec- 
cati  reus,"  and  in  the  English  translation,  v.  9.  "  let  me  bear  the 
blame;"  and  1  Kings  I.  21.  D^J^tDH  occurs  in  the  same  sense, 
which  is  expressed  in  the  Targum  thus,  rejected  with  detestation, 
or  extirfiated,  and  in  the  Arabic,  as  the  Latin  version  gives  the 
meaning,  a  disgrace  among  the  children  of  Israel.  It  is  not  ex- 
traordinary therefore,  that  St.  Paul  should  use  the  word  'fif^x^royy 
when  he  means  to  express  the  effects  of  sin  in  producing  death. 
See  <tveB^ccyo¥y  V.  15.  and  observe  v,  19.  where  the  language  is 
somewhat  softened,  ei/Ax§ruXoi  KXTee-recB'tio-ctVj  with  which  comp. 
the  Sept.  in  1  Kings  I.  2 1 . 

Commentators  differ  much  as  to  the  connexion  of  this  verse. 
It  seems  to  me  to  be  most  in  character  with  the  Apostle's  writ- 
ings, to  make  aerjre^ — 9  5-«y«To;  the  protasis  of  a  comparison, 
which  gives  rise  to  a  digression,  to  prove  and  illustrate  it,  conti- 
nued through  the  following  verses  to  the  1 8th.,  when  the  protasis 
is  repeated  in  different  terms,  and  immediately  followed  by  the 
apodosis,  'htu — ^«j>?,  the  language  of  which  is  adapted  to  the  last 
form  of  the  protasis.    The  meaning  will  then  appear  thus :  '  A-s 


4(3  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  V. 

by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  on  all  as  its  con- 
sequence ;  so  by  one  S'tx-ctiu^.u,  righteousness,  (referring  to  what- 
ever, in  the  Saviour's  life  and  death,  may  be  considered  as  consti- 
tuting his  atonement),  all  are  restored  to  a  state  of  life.  See  a 
sin  ilar  p-.renthesis  in  VII.  2.  3. 

13.]  Kop.  explains  ax^'  ^"/^^  thus:  'during  the  continuance 
of  the  Mosairk  dispensation,'  appealing  to  Origen  and  Erasmus; 
arid,  uTre  A^xn  n^x?'  Maxreui^  v.  14.  by  '  during  the  periods  of 
Adam  and  Moses,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  present 
tin):  ;'  and  gives  this  meaning,  '  it  is  by  Christ  only,  and  not  by 
the  law  of  Moses,  that  mankind  are  blessed  with  immortality.' 
However  true  this  is,  it  by  no  means  follows  from  the  declaration, 
that  men  were  all  mortal  till  the  abrogation  of  the  law,  since  they 
are  equally  so  under  the  Gospel.  It  is  much  better  to  take  ct^^t 
voy.H  in  its  usual  sense,  meaning,  during  the  period  which  elapsed 
from  Adam  to  Moses. 

14.]  Ato — Mareui  explains  enxi'  va,M.». — Evi—AS'ttf*.'  i.e.  who 
had  not  sinned  in  the  same  manner  as  Adam  had  sinned.  What 
is  meant  by  this  same  manner  of  sinning,  is  differently  understood. 
Mac  knight  supposes  "  actual  sin"  to  be  meant,  and  considers 
''  infants  and  idiots"  as  referred  to,  who  "  are  not  capable  of  sin- 
ning actually  like  Adam."  But  if  these  only  are  meant,  the 
Apostle's  position  will  apply  as  well  under  the  law  of  Moses  as 
during  any  other  period,  and  therefore  need  not  have  been  thus 
restricted.  Besides,  the  comparison  being  intended  to  shew,  that 
as  all  men  are  brought  into  a  state  of  death  by  the  sin  of  Adam, 
so  are  they  also  brought  into  a  state  of  life  by  the  atonement  of 
Christ,  it  seems  to  lose  much  of  its  force,  if  the  terms  be  taken  in 
so  limited  a  sense.  Perhaps  the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  by 
ijnoiufAcc  TTx^otQctiT-tcaq,  is  that  of  sinning  in  a  state  of  original  righte- 
ousness against  a  positive  law,  threatening  death  as  the  punish- 
ment of  disobedience,  as  Adam  did,  in  which  sense  no  man  since 
the  fall  has  sinned.  If  this  be  the  meaning,  then  xxt  i'7ri-~-AS'oifL 
refers  to  all  mankind  who  lived  before  the  law,  and  is  explanatory 
of  the  former  clause  of  the  verse.  I  shall  give  what  appears  to 
be  the  sense  of  vv.  12.  13  14.  in  a  paraphrase,  from  'aru^  to  aJi*^, 
inclusive,  thus:  '  Death  hath  invaded  all  mankind  in  consequence 
of  this  one  man's  sin,  (comp.  Schoett.  on  this  text),  aince^  or,  in 
thaty  or,  by  reason  of  whom,  all  mankind  are  so  subjected  to  the 
consequences  of  sin  as  to  be  mortal.*  This  is  the  proposition,  the 
force  of  which  is  contained  in  the  words  '«t«{  and  E^'  'u  and 
'jjjtc;efT«v.  To  prove  it,  the  argument  proceeds  thus,  v.  13.  '  M- 
though  9in  existed  antecedent  to  the  laWf  yet  men  did  not  die  on 


Chap,  v.]         Notes  on  ike  Epistle  to  the  Romans^  41 

account  of  their  own  sins  ;  for  it  is  evident,  that  when  there  is  no 
law  denouncing-  death  as  the  fiunishment  of  sin,  (this  emphatick 
sense  of  ya/tt*?  is  required  by  the  argument  or  scope  of  the  authour, 
Connip.  II,  12.  where  'ttf*,cc^rei  is  also  emphatically  used,  for  sinning 
so  as  to  merit  condemnation),  and  at  the  same  time  death  is  in- 
fiicted,  that  death  cannot  be  in  consecjuence  of  the  sin  of  the  fierson 
dying.  But  there  was  no  such  law  all  the  time  from  ^dam  to 
Moses,  (v,  14),  yet  during  that  p.eriod  death  ruled  without  con- 
trout,  all  men  died,  although  they  had  not  broken  a  fiositive  law 
denouncing  death  as  the  penalty  of  transgression,  as  Adam  had, 
because  no  such  law  existed*  The  conclusion  therefore  is,  that 
death  is  the  effect,  not  of  our  own  si7is,  but  of  the  sin  of  Adam ^ 
This  leads  the  Apostle  to  institute  a  comparison  between  Adam 
and  Christ,  wherein  he  declares  (vv.  15 — 17.),  that  the  blessings 
which  mankind  derive  from  the  latter,  counterbalance  the  evils 
which  are  entailed  on  them  by  the  former  ;  and  that  this  is  a  rea- 
sonable consideration. 

15.]  'Oi  vohXot  is  equivalent  to  TraiTf?  and  ^ravr*?  in  vv.  12. 
18.  Comp.  v.  19. — UoX,  iA,xx.  much  rather,  it  is  much  rather 
to  be  expected.  So  in  v.  17. — ^'H  x>*i"^ — >J*?""')  the  umnerited  fa- 
vour of  God  extended  by  the  Gospel. 

16.]  The  Apostle  proceeds  to  state,  that  in  the  subjects  com- 
pared, there  is  a  difference  in  favour  of  the  benefits  obtained 
through  Christ.  A*'  tvaj  «;M,«e^T«(r(«vT«?«  by  Adam,  who  transgressed 
the  command;  x^j/m.*,  the  sentence,  Gen.  III.  17 — 19.;  xctrxxfif^ct^ 
the  condemnation  of  all  men  to  death  ;  t^  Ivoi,  in  consequence  of 
one  sin.  This  meaning  is  required  by  the  antithesis  in  etc  -roX. 
TFx^xT.  but  it  is  by  no  means  necessary  to  give  the  same  meaning, 
to  h*  «y««  above,  and  to  adopt  the  Alexandrian  reading,  as  Locke 
does.— Xajje-jttds  expresses  the  general  nature  of  the  benefits  of 
the  Gospel,  hKMtaiAa  the  particular  character  of  the  blessing  here 
referred  to,  viz.  freedom  from  the  judicial  effects  of  sin,  justifica- 
tion. 

17.]  For  variety  in  the  readings,  see  Kop.  and  Gries.  Us  ivei 
and  ^ttt  T»  £v«s  refer  to  Adam,  and  should  be  rendered,  of  the 
one — through  or  by  the  one.  Comp.  ^<«  t»  f»ej  I.  X.  at  the  end 
of  the  verse.  There  is  no  necessity  to  suppose  with  Locke,  that 
Tjjv  TTt^iforeix*  means  "  surplusage,"  i.  e.  some  particular  benefit 
derived  from  Christ,  which  is  counterbalanced  by  no  particular 
evil  sustained  through  Adam,  and  that  this  is  also  included  in  the 
meaning  of  frefura-eva-e  v.  15.  (comp.  on  this  point  Whitby's  note 
on  V.  15.  Locke's  on  v.  17.  and  Taylor's  on  v.  15.  pp.  286.  287. 
with  Comparative  Views,  vol.  I.  pp.  66—69.);  r*iv  Tce^.  Tm  y,<^^. 

6 


41  Notes  on  the  Epistte  to  the  Romans.         [Chap.  V, 

is,  in  all  probability,  put  for  tijv  x*?'*  '''J"  tej jo-iraTtfay,  and  is  ex- 
pressive of  the  greatness  and  excellency  of  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel.     Comp.  2  Cor.  VIII.  2.     Thus  Kop.  understands  it. 

18.]  At*  h»i  TTcc^.  and  h*  ivoi  hie.  are  rendered  in  our  tranS' 
lation,  "  by  the  offence  of  one,"  and  "  by  the  righteousness  of 
one ;"  and  Kop.  observes,  that  this  is  required  by  the  antithesis 
£/«  vxvrai.  But  surely  one  offence  may  be  spoken  of  as  bringing 
condemnation  upon  all  men ;  there  is  no  necessity  to  suppose  an 
antithesis  here.  Besides,  if  ^voj  referred  to  ccv^^uttu  understood, 
it  is  highly  probable,  that  the  Apostle  would  have  written  5ra»T«5 
without  «v3-fw7ra?,  and  would  have  prefixed  the  article,  as  in 
vv.  15.  17.  It  seems  preferable  therefore  to  connect  it  with 
v»^*v.  and  hK.  thus :  ^  by  one  offence* — '  by  one  righteous  actf 
ov  procedure^  or  course,'  including  whatever  constitutes  the  atone- 
ment. Before  the  former  en  vm.  oi,-*^.  supply  xg//twt  «»  or  £A5»«, 
and  x'^?"^/^'*  before  the  latter.  Comp^  v.  1 6.  and  see  a  similar 
ellipsis  of  hx.xioo-vvt}  if  I,  or  some  such  expression  in  IV.  16. — The 
terms  of  the  apodosis  correspond  with  those  of  the  protasis  as 
here  expressed,  but  not  as  in  v.  12.     See  the  note  there. 

19.]  'O*  TTftAAat  corresponds  with  iratvTff  See  vv.  12.  15.  18,  j 
consequently  it  means  mankind  collectively,  thus  including  Gen- 
tiles as  well  as  Jews,  in  the  benefits  of  Christ's  death,  as  well  as  in 
the  effects  of  Adam's  fall.  Thus  the  digression  suits  th«  design 
of  the  epistle. 

20.]  Macknight  takes  ve/tte«  here  for  law  as  "  the  rule  of 
man's  conduct," — "  the  law  of  nature,"-—"  the  law  written  on  his 
heart,"  which  (says  he)  "  entered  into  the  world  when  Adam  was 
fallowed  to  live."  By  entering,  he  means  "  its  taking  place,"  or 
"  taking  place  anew,"  i.  e.  if  I  understand  his  meaning,  the  con- 
tinuance of  its  obligation.  How  this  can  be  called  a  "  taking 
place  anew,"  or  an  "  entering  silently,"  I  am  at  a  loss  to  conceive. 
Ilcc^ettr.  cannot  be  thus  explained.  The  continuance  of  an  existing 
law,  is  altogether  different  from  the  vx^ua-tXivtrKi  of  a  law.  He 
objects  to  explaining  veytM?  by  the  law  of  Moses,  from  the  absence 
of  the  sirticle  ;  but  it  will  be  difficult  to  prove  an  undoubted  dis- 
tinction between  v«jM.e«  and  o  vofjui  in  this  epistle.  See  v.  1 3.  where 
v«lAOi  certainly  means  the  law  of  Moses,  and  eomp.  Mid.  on  I.  17, 
and  II.  13. 

n«f .  "  entered  a  little,"  says  Locke,  meaning,  «  it  applied  t» 
a  small  part  of  mankind."  I  am  not  aware  that  the  word  is  ever 
used  in  this  sense,  and  should  prefer  taking  it  in  its  usual  meaning, 
(comp.  Gal.  II.  4.),  for  it  seems  to  be  represented  as  making  its 
Way  in  by  stealth ;  not  in  opposition  to  "  the  pompous  and  publick 


Chap,  v.]         Notes  on  tlie  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  43 

Bttanner**  in  which  the  law  of  Moses  was  promulgated,  which 
Macknight  states  as  a  proof  that  this  law  cannot  be  meant,  but 
because  the  effects  of  it,  here  called  the  abounding  of  sin,  was 
such  as  would  naturally  excite  opposition  in  the  human  breast. 
Therefore  ?r«f.  it  entered  cautiously  or  firivily,  illustrates  its 
character  in  this  respect.  Comp.  IV.  15.  VII.  5 — 13.  2  Cor. 
III.  6.  'Iv«  !ta,  to  ttx^.  i.  e.  says  Kop.  "  that  it  may  the  more 
clearly  appear,  that  men  are  sinners."  He  considers  Trxfu?. 
however  as  synonymous  with  mnjX^iv  or  yr^ea-crcS^,  Gal.  III.  19. 
and  excludes  all  idea  of  privy  or  clandestine  entrance,  as  totally 
at  variance  with  the  context.  Certainly  the  preposition  does  not 
necessarily  add  to  the  meaning  of  the  simple  verb,  (comp.  Er- 
nesti,  §  168,);  and  whether  it  be  proper  or  not,  to  give  it  a  defi- 
nite meaning  in  the  present  instance,  the  reader  must  judge. 

Although  it  does  appear  to  me,  that  the  Apostle  by  v»f*,ef  here 
refers  principally  to  the  law  of  Moses,  (comp.  III.  20.  and  the 
places  there  referred  to) ;  yet  if  any  one  be  disposed  to  take  it  in 
a  more  extensive  sense,  so  as  to  include  the  original  moral  law  of 
God,  vet^eti.  may  be  used  to  express  the  obligation  of  this  law  as 
brought  home  to  the  conscience,  and  as  displaying  to  it  the  nature 
and  consequences  of  sin.  Perhaps  this  may  be  what  Macknight 
zneans,  in  his  paraphrase  and  note  on  this  text. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Lest  from  the  doctrine  advanced,  it  should  be  inferred,  that  the 
cultivation  of  practical  religion  was  unnecessary,  this  chapter  is 
designed  to  prove  the  contrary. 

1.]     'H  ;i;«f.  5rA.     Comp.  V.  20. 

2.]  Macknight  translates  otTivn — etvrvi ,'  thus :  "  We  who  have 
died  by  sin,  how  shall  we  still  live  by  it  i"  But  continuing  in  sin, 
which  is  what  the  Apostle  here  objects  to,  is  very  different  from 
living  by  it,  which  the  advocates  for  sinning  that  grace  might 
abound,  never  thought  of,  as  they  admitted  that  they  were  to  live 
by  Christ  through  grace  in  opposition  to  the  law.  See  his  note, 
and  comp.  below  under  v.  10.  The  meaning  is, — '  dead  to  sin  by 
our  Christian  profession.'  Comp.  the  Address  to  Sponsors,  which 
concludes  our  service  for  the  publick  baptism  of  infants.  Kop. 
fjuotes  from  Plautus,  "  nihil  meum  tibi ;  mortuus  tibi  suum." 


44  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        [Chap.  VI. 

And,  "  niilu  quidem  tu  jam  mortuus  eras,  quia  te  non  visitavi." 
He  refers  also  to  Luke  XV.  24.  32. 

3.]  That  we  are  "  by  baptism  united  to  Christ  as  our  federal 
head,"  as  Macknight  says,  is  in  a  certain  sense  true,  but  the  sen- 
timent is  very  susceptible  of  abusp,  and  should  be  cautiously 
guarded.  The  phraseology,  to  be  bafitized  into  any  one,  does 
not  necessarily  involve  this  meaning,  for  it  is  used  in  reference  to 
Moses  and  to  John.  Comp.  1  Cor.  X.  2.  Acts  XIX.  3.  It  means 
simply,  by  the  rece/ition  of  bafitism  to  /irofess  oneself  Ihe  discifile 
of  any  one.  Into  Christ's  death,  is  said  in  reference  to  ecTif.  tij 
uf*.  V.  2.,  and  signifies  to  die  with  him,  his  dying  being  understood 
literally,  and  ours  figuratively,  as  the  context  and  nature  of  the 
subject  require. 

4.]  This  is  illustrated  by  the  original  method  of  baptizing  by 
immersion.  See  Bing.  Ant.  book  XI.  chap.  XI.  sect.  IV.  vol.  I. 
p.  522.  fol.  ed.  Lond.  1726.  and  Suicer.  Thes.  Ecc.  Tom.  I.  pp. 
259  et  seq.  Ed.  sec.  Amst.  1728. — ^lu — ^ocvxror  '  by  baptism,  in 
which  we  die  as  it  were.'  Kop.  I  rather  think,  that  en  t«»  ^.  is 
the  same  as  ett  tov  $-.  uvth,  v,  3.  by  baptism,  in  which  we  die 
(figuratively)  as  he  did  (literally). 

5.J  1,vfi.(p.  is  not  necessarily  expressive  of  filantinff,  but  only 
of  intimate  union,  although  "  planted  together"  may  have  been 
its  primitive  sense.  Comp.  the  meaning  o{  ^va-xv^t^u  in  II.  5.  and 
see  Kop.  or  Schleus.  2.  or  Wahl.  AXXx — fc-oji*.  is  elliptical  for 
ccXXa  Kxi  a-vf*.(p.  701  Of*..  T}]i  etvxr.  eirof^.,  and  the  context  shews, 
that  it  refers  to  our  obligation  "  to  rise  again  unto  righteousness." 
The  whole  verse  may  therefore  be  expressed  thus:  '  If  we  have 
been  intimately  connected  with  Christ  in  his  death,  we  should  also 
be  intimately  connected  with  him  in  his  resurrection.'  Still,  from 
V.  8.  it  is  probable,  that  the  future  resurrection  of  our  bodies  to  a 
new  state  of  existence  in  glory  with  Christ,  is  also  intended  to  be 
expressed.     Comp.  VIII.  II.  Eph.  II.  5.  6.  Col.  III.  1—4. 

6.]  "  Our  old  man,"  i.  e.  our  former  sinful  character,  what- 
ever tendencies  to  immorality  exist  in  our  fallen  state.  All  the 
terms  here  employed  were  thus  used  by  Jewish  writers.  See 
Schoettgen  in  loc.  and  Park.  Gr.  Lex.  under  -ruXaiei  and  xxivoi. 
— St/yff.  is  used  in  reference  to  the  manner  of  Christ's  death ; 
<yuf*.x  T»j«  xfc.  pleonastick  for  uf^x^tix^  o-ufix  being  suggested  by 
the  figure.  See  under  VII.  24.  and  comp.  S'tx  ra  «-<y/*«T«$  iu 
VII.  4. 

7.]  As  a  man  is  said  to  be  justified  from  any  offence  charged 
to  him,  (comp.  Acts  XIII.  39.),  who  is  cleared  or  freed  from  any 
just  imputation,  the  word  i'lKxtou  has  the  sense  oifreeing^  as  in 
this  place. 


Chap.  VI.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  45 

9.]  There  seems  to  be  a  feeling  of  triumph  in  the  last  clause 
of  this  verse. 

10.]  Macknight  renders  this  verse  thus:  "  For  he  who  died, 
died  by  sin  once;  but  he  who  liveth,  liveth  by  God,"  and  refers 
to  his  Essay  IV.  §  72.  p.  109.,  where  not  one  passage  quoted  is 
analogous.  'O  is  probably  put  for  x-xB'  o.  Comp.  Matt.  IV  15. 
where  iS'ot  occurs  for  Kxd'  o^ov,  and  Gal.  II.  20.  o  h  ^i,  for  x.xd' 
0.  The  English  translation  gives  the  true  sense.  Tji  os^oc^.  to 
sin,  i.  e.  with  respect  to  it,  as  in  v.  2.,  the  words  with  respect  to 
being  explained  according  to  the  context,  and  the  nature  and  office 
of  the  person  of  whom  they  are  used.  Here  they  are  equivalirnt 
to  on  account  of  sin,,  i.  e.  for  our  sin.  E^«^«|.  comp.  Heb.  VII. 
27.  1  Pet.  III.  18.  ^»i  r«  S-.  he  liveth  for  God's  glory,  which  by 
his  mediatorial  office  is  promoted. 

11.]  Zmroti  h  rtf,  B:  living  to  God's  honour,  and  (perhaps) 
hereafter  to  live  with  him  in  blessedness. 

12.]  ©vjjTw-  frail,  mortal,  (see  Kop.),  not  dead,  which  would 
be  vfxffiu.     Comp.  on  VIII.  10 — 12. 

13.]  'OwAee.  See  XIII.  12.  and  Wisdom  XVIII.  21.  where 
the  English  translation  renders  05rA»v  shield ;  but  properly  it  de- 
notes any  kind  of  armour  or  implements.  See  Park.  I.  and  Kop. 
To  his  quotations,  a  passage  in  Tertullian  may  be  added,  who  calls 
the  Jewish  Scriptures,  "  omne  instrumentum  Judaicae  literature." 
De  cultu  femin.  III.  in  Opera,  edit.  Rigalt.  Paris,  1675.  p.  151. 

14.]  There  may  be  an  ellipsis  here,  and  the  sentiment  as  fol- 
lows :  ♦  You  have  encouragement  to  do  this,  from  the  nature  of 
the  Gospel,  under  which  you  are  placed,  and  which,  by  affording 
sufficient  motives  and  aids,  will  not  allow  sin  to  reign  w  you  un- 

controuUed.* — Kop.  however  thinks,  that  the  former  claui-tr,  u/^. 

Kv^.  should  certainly  be  connected  with  the  preceding  versj;,  thus; 
"  sin  must  not  reign  over  you,"  it  is  inconsistent  with  your  cha- 
racter and  profession.'    Comp.  the  sense  given  to  eo-o/iteBa^  v.  5 , 

The  latter  clause,  ov — x*?'*>  he  connects  with  the  following  verse, 
considering  y«f  as  a  particle  of  transition,  meaning  truly,  thus : 
*  Truly  you  are  not  under  the  law,  a  system  of  terrour,  but  under 
the  more  gracious  system  of  the  Gospel.' 

15.]  '  What  then  ?  Does  this  give  you  a  license  to  sin  ?  Not 
at  all.'  Thus  the  objection  is  repeated,  (comp.  v.  1.),  and  the 
answer  further  illustrated  in  the  subsequent  verse. — The  opposi- 
tion between  no^s?  and  %«?<«  plainly  proves,  that  the  law  of  Moses 
is  meant.  Comp.  John  I.  17.  Acts  XIII.  43.  Macknight  how- 
ever understands  it  in  "  the  more  general  sense  of  law."  See  hi^s 
note  2. 


-46  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        {Chap.  VI. 

16.]  Eli  vir.  with  the  view  of  obeying;  'tu  vt.  is  redundant. 
E<5  •&*».  to  wretchedness  and  misery.  See  v.  21,  Then  (says 
Rosen.)  according  to  the  antithesis  oik.  must  be  rendered  *  felicity.' 
Wahl  gives  it  this  sense,  5.  b.  and  Schleus.  6. — Kop.  is  inclined 
to  reject  tti  ^av.  (see  the  var.  read.)  and  to  explain  S'uXoi  iir.  eif 
S'iK.  as  if  it  were  ^aA.  o^wKSftiv  t»i  htcaioa-vvri,  thus;  '  whether  you 
are  the  servants  of  sin,  or  those  who  yield  to  the  claims  of  virtue 
and  piety.'  If  £/5  -^av.  be  genuine,  the  sense  may  be  given  thus : 
*  either,  of  sin,  which  produces  misery  and  death  ;  or  of  obedience, 
which  produces  piety  and  virtue,  with  all  their  attendant  blessings. 
Comp.  (li  ctyiATfjitit  in  v.  22.' 

17.]  For  the  construction,  on  jjrr  ^»Ao/,  see  Matt.  XI.  25. 
Macknight  understands  tvjrtti  in  the  sense  of  a  mouldy  (and  this 
meaning,  although  not  common,  is  given  by  Hesych.  See  Suicer. 
torn.  II.  p.  1340.  under  rvTrog  III.),  and  translates  £<«  <>»  to^. 
"  into  which  ye  were  delivered,"  viz.  "  at  your  baptism."  So 
also  Doddridge,  but  the  texts  he  refers  to  in  his  note  f.  on  V.  14. 
do  not  illustrate  this  sense  of  rvTrtg^  but  only  that  of  model,  or 
figure.,  or  examfile.  He  does  not  indeed  translate  it  mould,  but  it 
is  evident  that  such  is  his  meaning;  for  his  paraphrase — "  the 
model  of  doctrine  into  which  ye  were  delivered  as  into  a  model," 
is  otherwise  no  illustration  of  the  text.  Comp.  Park,  under  rwt^ 
VII. — Most  probably  the  word  is  synonymous  with  (*.o^<p  II.  20. 
vToT.  2  Tim.  I.  13.  and  others  of  the  same  kind,  expressive  of 
the  accuracy  and  perfection  of  Christian  doctrine.  Grot,  considers 
iT«f.  as  equivalent  to  irx^eXxQcrey  DJl^^p  y^  ^^^^  received.  He 
explains  m  rvroi  by  xarx  rw.  and  connects  it  with  u^.  thus ;  *  you 
have  cordially  obeyed,  according  to  that  form,  or  model,  or  consti- 
tution, which  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  prescribes;'  literally, 
(according  to  him),  *  according  to  that  form  of  doctrine  which 
you  have  received.' — Rosen,  and  Kop.  agree  with  Castalio,  taking 
j<5  ov — TvTTov  for  tii  Tfrrav  o«  v^liv  5raff Jo5»},  *  which  has  been  deli- 
vered to  you.'  So  Gal.  II.  7.  ^t^r,  t«  tv.  for  to  ev.  f^o*  ^tTie-- 
revTecij  agreeably  to  Gr.  usage.  See  Cast,  in  Crit.  Sac.  in  loc. 
and  on  2  Cor.  XI.  12. 

19.]  Av5.  ?ie'/.  I  illustrate  my  subject  by  terms  adapted  to 
human  views  and  feelings,  I  use  a  popular  language.  St.  Paul 
refers  to  the  personification,  which  he  had  made,  of  sin  and  righte- 
ousness, whom  he  represents  as  two  masters.  The  figure  was 
peculiarly  applicable  to  the  Romans,  among  whom  slaves  and 
frcedmen  were  so  common.  A«« — uf<.ur  '  on  account  of  the  weak- 
ness of  your  nature,  i.  e.  of  your  minds.'  Thus  Rosen.,  who  re- 
marks very  properly,  thj^t  infirmity  is  not  unfrequently  used  of 


Chap.  VI.]         Notes  on  th  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  47 

intellectual  weakness,  as  in  XIV.  1.  2,  XV.  1.  I  Cor.  VIII.  9. 
10.;  and  that  it  is  very  common  with  St.  Paul,  to  use  <ra^|  for 
whatever  is  vitiated  and  depraved  in  man  and  human  life,  what- 
ever infirmity,  tendency  to  errour,  or  irregularity  of  any  kind,  still 
remains  in  Christians,  whatever  is  opposed  to  mevf^u,.  Perhaps 
c-«f  I  is  pleonastick ;  comp.  a-cfy^cc,  v.  6. — Av.  £<s  t^jv  «».  i.  c.  says 
Kop.  to  all  iniquity;  but  Rosen.,  Scmler,  and  others,  think  it 
implies  increase,  and  so  also  tji-  ^itc.  tig  ay.  in  the  next  clause. 

20.]  I  do  not  sec  the  propriety,  wiih  Kop.,  of  considering 
these  words  as  ironical.  The  meaning  seems  very  plain  :  '  when 
you  yielded  to  the  impulses  of  sin,  as  was  the  case  in  your  former 
state,  righteousness  had  no  influence  over  you.* 

20.]  Kop.  and  Gries.  follow  Luther's  punctuation,  putting  the 
mark  of  interrogation  after  rarv  ii  is  preferable,  I  think,  to  put 
it  after  t-r.  with  Rosen,  and  most  others.  T£Ao«-  either  the  endf 
or  the  reward,  in  both  which  senses  the  word  is  used,  and  also  the 
corresponding  Hebrew  term  in  the  Old  Testament.  Comp.  o^w- 
y<ee,  V.  23. 

23.]  "  Here  (says  Kop»)  the  choice  of  expressions  is  worthy 
©f  notice :  o-<p.  meaning,  wages,  what  a  man  deserves  by  his  exer- 
tions and  labours ;  and  x'*?-  ^  benefit,  which  we  receive  from  thte 
mere  favour  of  another,  without  any  merit  of  our  own.  The  for- 
mer word  expresses  the  misery,  which  by  our  sins  we  have 
brought  upon  ourselves ;  and  the  latter,  the  felicity  which  the 
Christian  expects  hereafter  to  enjoy." 


CHAPTER  Vir. 

i.]  Macknight,  Mid.  and  Kop.  think,  that  te/M*  does  not  refer 
exclusively  to  the  law  of  Moses,  but  either  to  divine  revelation,  or 
to  law  in  general. — Zy  Eras,  and  Grot,  consider  it  as  referring  to 
wjW9«,  which  they  think  is  personified.  See  Crit.  Sac.  Eras,  ob- 
serves, that  he  had  found  the  same  remark  in  Origen.  Kop. 
agrees  with  them,  and  quotes  some  parallel  expressions  from 
Sophocles,  Josephus,  and  Demosthenes.  The  reason  for  this  ex- 
position is,  that  the  illustration  in  vv.  2.  3.  speaks  of  the  wife  as 
being  freed  from  obligation,  not  by  her  own  death,  as  the  analogy 
seems  to  require,  but  by  that  of  her  husband.  Ammon  remarks, 
that  such  an  use  of  ^n*  is  too  harsh,  and  too  mach  at  variance  with 


48  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        [Chap.  VII- 

St.  Paul's  style  to  be  admitted.  And  it  is  certainly  unnecessary  ; 
for  if  vv.  2.  3.  be  taken  parenthetically,  as  an  illustration  merely, 
and  the  first  and  fourth  be  connected,  as  Locke  suggests,  the  con- 
struction will  be  agreeable  to  St.  Paul's  style,  and  the  meaning 
will  be  clear. 

2.  3. J  The  death  of  either  party  frees  the  other  from  obliga- 
tion. 

4.]  Macknight  renders  e6.  rat  vofj..  •'  have  been  put  to  death  by 
the  law,"  as  in  VI.  2.,  and  in  his  commentary,  speaks  of  the 
"  Jews  as  having  been  married  to  God  as  their  king,  and  thereby 
bound  to  obey  the  law  of  Moses,"  and  as  being  "  loosed  from  that 
marriage  and  law."  Surely  the  figurative  marriage  referred  to, 
is  to  the  laWf  and  its  obligation  is  dissolved  by  the  death  (figura- 
tively understood)  of  one  of  the  parties,  the  Jews.  Read  Locke's 
note  (t).  Perhaps  St.  Paul  did  not  speak  of  the  law  as  dead,  be- 
cause having  mentioned  (VI.  2.)  the  Gentiles  as  dead  to  sin,  (or 
if  this  be  objected  to,  Christians  generally,  although  the  chapter 
seems  to  refer  more  especially  to  the  Gentile  believers),  he  wished 
to  make  this  verse  parallel  with  that,  and  therefore  speaks  of  the 
Jews  as  dead  to  the  law.  Comp.  «7ro.9^«»«vTf{  (v.  6.)  if  it  be  ge- 
nuine, on  which  point  see  Kop.  (var.  read.)  and  Gries.  The  com- 
mon reading  seems  to  have  arisen  from  the  difficulty  of  compre- 
hending how  the  persons  could  be  spoken  of  as  dead. 

5.]  Ev  rvi  trx^.  refers  to  the  weak  and  unhappy  state  in  which 
the  law  placed  men,  to  its  inability  and  oppressiveness.  Comp. 
VIII.  3.  Gal.  III.  3.  Heb.  IX.  10.  Locke  (note  a.)  and  Mac 
knight  give  ^mc  the  sense  of  under,  and  confessedly  in  unison  with 
St.  Paul's  style.  The  common  translation  is  however  preferable, 
I  think.  For  the  Apostle,  intending  to  display  the  law  as  exhibit- 
ing to  transgressors  the  nature  of  sin,  and  its  effects  on  the 
awakened  conscience,  (as  his  argument  led  him,  and  as  he  does  in 
V.  7  et  seq.),  here  speaks  of  sinful  passions  as  brought  into  action 
by  the  law,  although  he  means  no  more  than  that  the  law  made 
tlieir  sinfulness  the  more  conspicuous.  Comp.  note  on  v.  20.  and 
Essay  at  the  end  of  these  notes.  Thus  r»  ^ix  m  ve^c.  will  be 
equivalent  to  «■«  S'lx  m  yof^.  (paivofieux,  yv»^<^o,M,jy«,  (e^A^/u.^*  A«6- 
C«vT<6,  or  7rA£oy<^ovT<e,  as  Kop.  says.  This  exposition  adds  force 
to  the  question  v.  7.  where  also  S^tcc  vef*,.  occurs  in  the  same  verse ; 
and  thus  in  this  discussion  hx  will  constantly  have  the  same  mean- 
ing. Whereas,  Locke  and  Macknight  are  obliged  to  translate  it 
differently  in  different  places.  See  them  on  vv.  5.  7.  8.  11.  and 
iix  rn  xy.  13.  Besides,  according  to  their  interpretation,  hx 
Tit  toft..  expresses  no  njiore  than  what  is  included  in  si  rn  0-«^xr. 


Chap.  VII.J        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  49 

6.]  '  But  now,  under  the  Gospel  dispensation,  we  having  be- 
come dead  (figuratively,  and  to  the  law),  are  delivered  from  the 
law,  by  which  we  were  formerly  bound.*  Ev — y^ctf^.  under  the 
new,  spiritual  dispensation  of  the  Gospel,  and  not  under  the  old 
one  of  the  law,  the  mere  outward  and  literal  sense  of  which  shewed 
its  imperfection.'  Comp.  2  Cor.  III.  6.  and  7r)ievf*.»  in  John 
VI.  63. 

7.]  From  ejAA*  in  this  verse  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  St.  Paul 
is  not  to  be  considered  as  speaking  of  himself,  but  rather  as  de- 
scribing the  views  and  feelings  of  a  man,  who  is  living,  first,  with- 
out the  influence  of  either  law  or  Gospel ;  then,  to  whom  the  obli- 
gation and  extent  of  the  law  are  made  known  ;  and  who,  lastly,  is 
led  to  embrace  the  Gospel  as  the  only  method  of  justification.    See 

note[*]  in  the  translation  of  Koppe's  Introduction,  p.  8 Photius,  (as 

quoted  by  Kop.),  in  his  "Questiones  ac  dubia  ad  Amphilochium," 
in  MS.  (for  an  account  of  which  see  Cave's  Hist.  Lit.  fol.  vol.  II. 
p.  49.  ed.  Oxon.  17'43.),  says,  that  the  Apostle  does  not  speak  of 
himself,  but  assumes  the  character  of  human  nature.  See  1  Cor. 
IV.  6.  and  Gal.  II.  18. — Ovx.  eyvaif  not  known  so  fully.  Comp. 
»/*.  UK  ctpi^ov  in  John  XV.  22.  24. — Ova  evid.  is  an  imperfect  quo- 
tation, the  whole  commandment  being  thereby  suggested  to  the 
reader's  mind.  Comp.  XI.  26.  27.  Heb,  XII.  27.  Kop.  in  his 
Excursus  I.  pp.  382.  383.  shews,  that  this  method  of  quotatioi! 
was  usual  with  the  Jews. 

8.]  Aft,,  not  the  act  of  sin,  but  the  evil  tendency  of  nature. 
Most  commentators  think,  that  this  verse  refers  to  the  well  known 
character  of  mankind,  to  aim  at  things  forbidden,  and  that  this  is 
the  influence  of  the  law  which  is  here  asserted.  "  This,"  says 
Whitby,  "  is  the  old  and  common  interpretation,  and  it  agrees 
very  well  with  the  expression."  See  also  Kop.,  Rosen.,  and  Seller 
in  loc. — It  appears  to  me,  that  although  the  language  describes 
the  production  of  concupiscence  (or  illicit  desires  and  purposes 
generally,  as  Kop.  and  Wahl  and  Schleus.  explain  tT<fl.),  as 
effected  by  the  law,  yet  it  is  to  be  understood  merely  as  declaring 
what  does  in  reality  exist,  i.  e.  in  bringing  it  home  to  the  con- 
science. The  context  seems  to  require  this,  and  I  think  it  is  not 
contrary  to  usage.  See  Essay  at  the  end  of  the  notes.  N£>6f «  sig- 
nifies ineffectual^  meaning,  either  to  produce  death  or  to  display 
sin.     Comp.  ny.^»  in  James  II.  17.  20.  26. 

9.  10.  11.]  Here  the  sentiment  before  expressed  is  repeated  in 
fuller  terms.  Xw^/?  voiah'  «  before  the  law  of  Moses  came." 
Thus  Chrys.,  Oecum.  and  Theoph.  in  Whitby,  who  agrees  with 
thetn.     So  also  Locke,  note  (1.)     But  if  x.'  »•  ^^efer  to  time,  the 

7 


50  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romcuts.       [Chap.  VII. 

Apostle's  supposition  will  be  highly  incongruous,  for  the  man 
personated  will  be  described  as  living  before  the  law,  during  the 
whole  time  of  the  law,  and  at  the  opening  of  the  Gospel.  It  is 
more  probable  therefore,  that  it  relates  to  the  obligation,  extent 
and  penalty  of  the  law,  not  being  properly  understood  and  felt. 
This  I  see  is  tlie  sense  given  by  Macknight,  Kop.  and  Rosen., 
and  illustrated  in  Comp.  Views,  vol.  I.  pp.  76  et  seq.  But  then, 
(although  I  would  wish  to  dissent  from  the  venerable  authour  of 
this  work  with  great  caution,  and  deference  to  his  opinions),  this 
phrase  does  not  appear  to  me  to  prove  that  St.  Paul  "  personates 
another,  because  he  had  never  been  without  the  law  himself"  (see 
p.  80.);  for  although  in  point  of  time  this  is  true,  yet  even  St. 
Paul  may  be  said  to  have  "  lived  without  the  law,"  before  he  was 
fully  aware  of  its  nature  and  object.  E^uv  cannot  mean  simply,  / 
maa  living' ;  it  must  be  considered  figuratively,  as  expressive  of 
self-complacency  arising  from  ignorance  of  one's  real  slate.  Thus 
the  antithesis  between  it  and  «5re5«y«y,  v.  10.  is  preserved.  Z«a» 
often  implies  the  idea  of  enjoyment.  See  Wahl  5. — EAfl. — «v£^. 
Gomp.  v«ft. — -TFotqetTT.  in  v.  20.  and  the  note  there.— 'H  ctr.  '»»  et% 
C     Comp.  V.  12.  13. 

13.]  Gries.  and  Rosen,  place  the  stop  after  «AAa  '??  «/k..  Thus 
the  nex-t  «a«"  must  become  nominative  to  ^«v»),  as  Macknight 
makes  it,  (which  Mid.  in  loc.  objects  to),  or  the  last  'n  «/*.,  and 
the  construction  be  thus,  <v<*  '>>  »ia.  kxt.  9-.  /«,«<  <p.  uf^.  S'uc  t« 
tty.,  .'y*  yty.  ^iu,  tjjj  tyr.  kxB-^  u-x.  ctf*,it^Ta>x^.  Thus  each  clause 
will  express  the  same  general  idea.  The  usual  punctuation  is 
probably  correct,  and  the  meaning  as  given  in  our  translation, 
©nly  «y  being  understood,  or  ftccrt^.  being  taken  as  if  it  were  a 
verb  in  the  past  sense,  thus :  '  Was  the  law,  which  is  good  in  the 
highest  sense,  the  cause  of  my  ruin  ?  Certainly  not.  But  by 
means  of  this  good  law,  sin  produced  ray  ruin ;  thus  shewing 
through  the  law,  its  really  detestable  character.'     After  writing 

^        /  this,  I  see  that  Schleus.  has  given  the  same  sense  to  ui^x^raxoi  -,  in 

J6    /   verB-7. 

/  14  et  seq.]  The  Apostle  novr  proceeds  to  give  a  lively  descrip- 

tion of  the  personified  character.  Sot^x.  weak,  infirm,  prone  to 
sin,  yielding  to  fleshly  motions.  Comp.  1  Cor.  III.  3.  Its  mean- 
ing here  is  explained  by  the  next  clause,  for  the  sense  of  which 
see  1  Kings  XXI.  20.  25.  and  Ernesti,  ^  106.  or  (which  is  better) 
Morus,  Herm.  Sac.  Part  I.  Sect.  II.  cap.  II.  §  xxi.  p.  180. 

15.]     Macknight  takes  yt^Mo-xM  in  the  sense  of  approve.     So 
Rosen,  like  the  Heb.  V"T»  referring  to  Hos.  VIII.  4.  (where  sec 

-T 

Dathe's  version,  «  non  probantur,"  and  the  Chal.  Paraph.,  which 


Chap.  VII J       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  51 

expresses  the  same  sense ;  see  also  Rosen,  on  Ps.  I.  6.  ed.  Lip. 
1821,  or  the  notes  in  Heb.  Bib.  ed.  Jo.  H.  Michaelis);  Schleus. 
in  verb.  16.  gives  it  the  same  sense,  referring  to  this  place  and 
Apoc.  II.  24.;  also  Wahl,  8.,  though  some  of  his  references  arc 
not  satisfactory,  and  Park.  VII.  It  seems  to  be  thus  used  in 
1  Cor.  VIII.  3.  2  Tim.  II.  19.  Kop.  says  however,  that  this 
meaning  of  the  word  is  "  admodum  incerta,"  and  as  for  some 
other  places  vv^hich  have  been  adduced,  among  which  is  Hos. 
VIII.  4.,  he  calls  them  "  prorsus  ineptissima."  He  translates 
it,  "  inscius  et  invitus  facio,"  and  his  editor  Ammon  thinks  it  de- 
notes a  careful  and  accurate  knowledge.  The  above  authorities 
render  the  sense  of  apfirove  in  the  highest  degree  probable,  to 
say  the  least ;  and  the  context  is  much  in  favour  of  it. 

17.]  No  judicious  reader  will  infer  from  this  verse,  or  the 
20th,  which  is  synonymous,  that  the  character  personified  is  not 
the  responsible  agent ;  both  this  and  the  following  verses  are  de- 
signed to  illustrate  the  utter  inadequacy  of  human  nature,  to 
struggle  efTectually  with  its  sinful  propensities,  without  some  ad- 
ditional aid.     See  Macknight. 

18.]  Sfl6fv.r  the  natural,  unrenewed  character,  in  opposition  to 
the  spiritual  mind,  which  is  of  divine  origin.  SeeVIII.  4.  5, 
John  III.  6. 

19.]  Comp.  15.,  and  see  the  passages  of  a  similar  kind  in 
Kop.  here  and  on  14  sqq. — N.  B.  Although  this  is  descriptive 
of  the  state  of  a  man  just  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  sinfulness, 
for  thus  the  connexion,  argument,  and  terms  used,  require  it  to 
be  understood  ;  yet  it  may  be  accommodated  to  the  state  of  an 
advanced  Christian.  For  such  a  mixture  of  imperfection  will  ever 
cleave  to  human  nature  in  its  present  condition,  as  to  make  the 
best  of  men  acknowledge,  that  they  often  do  what  the  enlightened 
mind  disapproves  of.  There  are  other  parts  however  of  this  dis- 
cussion, which  cannot  fairly  be  applied  to  an  advanced  Christian  ; 
and  even  this  passage  can  only  be  thus  used  by  way  of  accommo- 
dation. 

21.]  Koppe's  version  of  this  verse  is,  I  think,  unauthorized  and 
incorrect.  He  takes  rev  v.  in  the  sense  of  divine  laws  in  general^ 
and  explains  the  text  thus  :  "  It  is  evident  therefore,  that  the  law 
itself  frequently  affords  occasion  and  excitement  to  sin,  even  to  a 
good  man,  who  is  anxious  to  do  \yhat  is  right."  Ammon  very  cor- 
rectly considers  T«y  v.  as  referring  to  the  law  or  tendency  of  nature, 
drawing  to  evil  when  the  will  is  disposed  to  good.  Comp.  23., 
also  the  use  of  vofte$  in  VIII.  2. 

22.]    Tev  tifti  mB;  I.  e.  the  mind,  so  far  enlightened  as  to  dis- 


52  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  tlie  Romans.       [Chap.VII. 

cern  the  nature  and  obligation  of  the  law.  See  vv.  23.  25.  Some- 
times this  phraseology  is  used  for  the  whole  spiritual  part  of  man, 
in  opposition  to  the  corporeal.  See  2  Cor.  IV.  16.  and  comp. 
Kop.  on  Eph.III.  16. — 'Zvv.  expresses  the  idea  of  approbation,  but 
not  of  conformity. 

23.]     MiMo-r  the  same  as  o-cc^ki,  v.  18.     Comp.  Col.  III.  5. 

24.  In  the  construction,  rara  should  probably  be  connected 
with  truf^xTo^'  this  frail^  or  miserable,  or  rather  sinful  body,  un- 
derstanding <rufJi,oc,  as  equivalent  to  /xfA»  or  o-«^|  as  before  used. 
But  probably  o-w.  $-.  is,  as  Schoettgen  explains  it,  a  periphrasis 
for  death,  as  in  Heb.  f|1J|  and  DVi^  arc  sometimes  used  for  the 
very  thing,  the  substance  of  that  with  which  they  are  connected. 
See  his  Horae  Heb.  et  Talmud,  p.  524. — If  it  be  allowable  to  il- 
lustrate such  a  phrase  from  poetry,  I  would  refer  to  Virgil,  JEn. 
II.  18.  XII.  271.  It  is  not  likely  that  St.  Paul  alludes  to  what  is 
said  to  have  been  practised  by  Mezentius  See  ^n.  VIII.  485 
—488. 

25.]  The  difference  in  the  readings  produces  no  considerable 
alteration  in  the  sense.  If  ivx,»^irM  be  genuine,  the  idea  of  the 
Gospel  being  the  true  method  of  deliverance,  leads  the  authour 
to  burst  into  an  exclamation  of  praise,  referring  to  Jesus  Christ  as 
its  founder,  and  regarding  him  as  mediator ;  if  ;c'*f '«  "^^  ^^^t  the 
meaning  is  the  same ;  if  'n  xcc^k;  ru  ^tn,  it  is  an  answer  to  the 
question,  and  '«  x^'^'i  means  the  Gospel. — Avroi  eyu-  Macknight 
considers  the  latter  clause  of  the  verse  as  interrogative,  implying 
a  strong  negation.  See  his  commentary  and  note.  Locke  (note  e.) 
supposes  it  to  be  said  in  the  person  of  "  a  Christian,  no  longer  un- 
der the  law,  but  under  grace."  But  the  language  is  too  similar 
to  that  above  used,  where  the  man  is  described  before  he  is  de- 
livered by  the  Gospel,  to  allow  his  interpretation.  Besides,  VIII. 
4.  seems  to  be  directly  opposed  to  it.  Kop.  thinks  that  it  does  not 
relate  to  <^«^|,  but  only  to  vovi,  the  man  himself,  and  remarks, 
that  "  the  whole  chapter  is  descriptive  of  any  man,  the  best  and 
most  pious  not  excepted."  But  against  this  supposition,  comp. 
vv.  14.  23.  with  VI.  14.  VIII.  1.  2.  5.  6.  2  Cor.  X.  2.  3.  and  other 
such  places;  also  v.  24.  with  V.  1.  Phil.  III.  1.  IV.  4.  If  it  be 
said,  that  we  have  many  instances  of  saints  using  similar  language 
of  themselves,  (see  Job  XLII.  6.  Isa.  VI.  5.),  it  is  sufficient  to 
reply,  that  they  use  it  as  expressive  of  penitential  feeling  ;  whereas 
here  it  occurs  in  argument  where  accuracy  is  to  be  expected. 
The  nature  of  the  subject  is  to  be  taken  into  consideration.  Comp. 
Ernesti,  §  93.  Rosen,  (on  v.  14.)  expresses  his  surprise  that  Kop. 
should  adopt  such  an  opinion  i  and  thinks  that  ftvrtf  tyu  relates 


Chap.  VII.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romatis.  53 

to  the  same  personified  character,  whom  he  had  before  introduced- 
Thus  also  Whitby,  whose  note  on  this  text  is  well  worthy  of  aiien- 
tion.  Probably  the  Apostle  is  led  to  introduce  what  he  says  in  the 
latter  clause  of  this  verse,  in  order  to  contrast  the  state  of  the  per- 
son thus  described,  with  the  condition  of  the  true  Christian,  de- 
livered from  the  dominion  of  sin,  as  illustrated  in  the  beginning  of 
the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

I.]  For  jM-jj — TTvivfAX)  see  Var.  Read,  in  Kop.  Griesbach  re- 
jects the  passage.     Comp.  v.  4. 

2.]  Ne^95  may  be  applied  to  the  Gospel,  because  of  its  fre- 
quent previous  use  in  the  discussion,  although  the  word  is  else- 
where employed  to  denote  the  Gospel,  as  Rosen,  remarks.  See 
James  I.  25.  and  comp.  Isa.  II.  3.  Mic.  IV.  2.  Spirit  of  life,  is 
put  for  life-giving  Spirit.  (Comp.  on  V.  7.  ad  fin.).  Ev  Xf.  in. 
may  perhaps  be  connected  with  the  preceding  clause,  but  the 
Greek  usage,  it  is  said,  would  require  t««  or  o  before  it.  (See 
Rosen,  and  Kop.  and  comp.  v.  39.  wwo  tjj?  «y.  t»  S-.,  tjjj  cv  x^, 
Iv.  and  1  Cor.  IV.  17.  rxs  oS'ta  (jlh  ra?  ii  X^.).  It  may  therefore 
be  connected  with  *iMv^,  &c.  and  translated,  with  those  criticks, 
"  per  Christum  Jesum."  Thus  the  meaning  of  the  whole  verse 
will  be  as  follows  :  '  The  Gospel,  which  is  a  spiritual  system  im- 
parting happiness,  hath  delivered  me,  through  Jesus  Christ,  from 
the  controul  of  that  tendency  to  sin  which  is  in  my  nature,  and 
which  would,  if  not  subjected,  produce  my  ruin.'  With  this  use 
of  vaitty  comp.  the  same  word  in  VII.  23. 

3.]  Here  the  inability  of  the  law  of  Moses,  to  deliver  from  tiie 
consequences  of  sin,  is  asserted.  H(r3^£v«r  comp.  Heb.  VII.  18,- 
19.  Gal.  III.  21.  Acts  XIII.  39.;  g-x^kh'  comp.  Heb.  VII.  16. 
Rom.  VII.  5.  from  which  it  is  probable,  that  a-a^.  refers  to  the 
law  as  a  system  too  weak  to  produce  the  contemplated  end.  Kop., 
Rosen.,  Macknight,  and  Locke,  asserting  of  course  the  weakness 
of  the  law,  nevertheless  explain  o-x^.  of  natural  corruption.  Us^i 
»{*..  is  elliptical,  probably  for  jr^oc-^a^a  ?re.  «/».  as  Kop.  thinks, 
and  Macknight,  from  Heb.  X.  18.;  or  for  ^vfA.ai.  cr?.  <«/k..  Comp. 
Levit.  XIV.  19.  and  see  Schleus.  Thes.  Vet.  Test,  in  verb.  The 
expression  is  often  used  in  the  Old  Testament ;  see  Levit.  V.  8. 9. 


S4  ffotes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  VIII. 

1 1.  VI.  30.  VII.  7.  37.  where  the  neuter  article  shews  that  ^^air- 
<poga  cannot  be  the  word  which  is  to  be  supplied.  See  Schleus. 
(Lex.  in  Nov.  Test.)  in  verb.  11. 

4.]  *  That  the  righteous  demands  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled 
in  us  Christians,  who,  &c.'  Not  perfectly  fulfilled,  but  in  a  con- 
siderable degree.  The  language  seems  to  be  in  opposition  to  the 
boasts  of  those  "  who  trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were  righte- 
ous, and  despised  others ;"  who  talked  much  of  fulfilling  the  law, 
while  they  were  notoriously  deficient  in  plain  duties.  Tije  mean- 
ing seems  to  be  this :  '  It  may  rather  be  said,  that  we  Christians, 
under  the  hifluence  of  God's  Spirit,  fulfil  the  law,  than  you  Jews, 
because  of  the  increased  degree  of  motive  and  of  assistance  which 
the  Gospel  oPFers.'  T«<5 — tv.  comp.  VII.  18.  and  John  III.  6. 
"  Fles/i"  says  Seiler,  in  his  note  on  v.  1.,  "  is  the  corruption  in 
human  nature  ;  the  understanding  darkened  by  prejudices  and 
errours ;  the  will  reluctant  to  submit  to  the  law  of  God  ;  the  over- 
bearing passions  and  inordinate  desires,  which,  for  the  most  part, 
spring  from  the  body,  the  principal  seat  of  corruption.  S/iiric  is 
the  nature  as  improved  by  religion ;  the  enlightened  understand- 
ing ;  the  will  inclined  to  good ;  the  moderated  passions  and  good 
inclinations."  He  therefore  gives  this  exposition  :  "  Who  live, 
not  according  to  the  tendencies  of  corrupt  nature,  but  according 
to  the  views  of  an  enlightened  understanding,  and  the  inclinations 
of  an  improved  heart."  To  <p^.  rm  <rx§.  literally, '  the  minding  of 
the  flesh,'  i.  e.  the  being  devoted  to  sinful  inclinations  and  pur- 
suits, congenial  with  the  vicious  propensities  of  nature.  Hence  it 
may  be  used  for  the  propensity  itself,  as  in  the  9th  Article  of  our 
Church. 

9.]  Macknight  renders  eiTre^  »  because."  Its  usual  meaning, 
if,  or  since  indeed,  gives  a  very  good  sense.  Comp.  vv.  1 .  4. 
latter  clause,  and  the  remainder  of  this.  Rosen,  considers  jtv.  0. 
as  expressive  of  temper,  disposition,  &c.  So  also  Mid.,  who  ob- 
serves, that  TV.  0.  and  ttv.  X.  "  signify  a  godly  and  Christian 
frame  of  mind,"  and  that  ttv.  is  here  used  as  in  Luke  IX.  55. 
He  differs  however  from  Rosen,  in  thinking  that  ro  tt*.  in  v.  11. 
«  can  be  taken  only  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  It  would  be  difficult  to 
say,  why  he  explains  the  phrases  differently,  unless  it  be  on  ac- 
count of  the  article.  Comp.  his  note  on  Matt.  I.  18.  Rosen, 
thinks,  that  the  same  sense  is  required  in  both  places ;  and  indeed 
this  seems  to  be  highly  probable,  from  the  words  etKH  t*  ufci* 
being  added  to  both.  Kop.  also  is  of  the  same  opinion,  although 
he  thinks  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  object  referred  to.  Comp. 
John  XIV.  16.  2  Cor.  VI.  16.    Usage  however  may  be  pleaded 


Chap.  VIII.}      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  35 

for  the  other  meaning.  Comp.  Vll.  17.  20.  If  it  be  the  Holy 
Spirit,  John  XIV.  26.  XV.  26.  XVI.  7.  14.  15.  afford  a  sufficient 
reason  for  his  being  called  the  Spirit  of  Christ. — If  the  translation 
above  given  of  ti7re§  be  correct,  Lecke's  exposition  of  ev  c-«^. 
"  under  the  fleshly  dispensation  of  the  law,"  will  hardly  be  ad- 
mitted. See  his  note  (d).  Although  it  is  allowed,  that  such  an 
explanation  is  consistent  with  the  great  design  of  the  epistle,  yet 
it  will  not  suit  the  immediate  context,  and  therefore  is  not  parallel 
with  VII.  5.  (See  Ernesti,  ^  99.  and  note).  Ev.  ■a-v.  is  a  very 
usual  expression  for  being  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
(see  IX.  1.  Matt.  XXII.  43.  1  Cor.  XII.  3.),  and  this  alone  would 
be  a  sufficient  reason  for  explaining  the  antithetick  ev  c-«^.  by  be- 
ing under  the  influence  of  the  cai^nal  principle,  whether  the  same 
phrase  could  be  found,  used  in  the  same  sense,  or  not.  But  pro- 
bably it  is  so  used  in  Eph.  II.  1 1 .  I  think  therefore,  that  the 
phrases  tv  a-x^Kt  tivxi^  ret  tyu  o-ct^Mi  (p^ovstv,  Ktcrot.  Tsto^ct,  ti-ia,t, 
xetrx  vx^Kx  ti^ittxthVj  (see  w.  9.  8.  7.  6.  5.  4.),  are  all  synony- 
mous, expressive  of  being  governed  by  one's  lusts. 

10 — 12,j  On  these  verses,  the  reader  is  requested  to  examine 
Macknight,  Locke,  and  Whitby.  It  is  not  the  design  of  these 
notes  to  discuss  fully  the  opinion  of  any  commentator,  but  rather 
to  afford  subject  for  the  student's  own  reflections,  and  to  enable 
him  to  ascertain  the  probable  meaning  of  the  text. 

If,  as  Macknight  says,  to  <ruf^»  be  "  the  body  with  its  lusts," 
i.e.  the  fleshly,  sinful  principle,  (for  he  refers  to  VII.  18.),  and 
if  this  be  dead,  how  can  rx  o-oi/h^xtx,  v.  II.  be  said  to  be  alive? 
Does  it  mean,  "  animal  passions,"  and  "  members  of  mortal  bo- 
dies," both  ?  According  to  the  authour's  commentary,  the  .^vjjt* 
0-MiA.xTx  in  V.  11.  are  "  made  alive,  i.  e.  subservient  to  the  spiri- 
tual life,"  while  in  v.  10.  it  is  to  ttv.  which  is  alive,  ro  s-ufjcx  is 
dead.  There  would  indeed  be  no  "  sense  in  saying,  that '  the  bo- 
dies of  men  are  dead  through  sin,  if  Christ  be  in  them  ;'  for  men's 
bodies  are  dead  through  sin,  whether  Christ  be  in  them  or  not," 
(see  his  note) ;  but  there  is  great  sense  in  saying,  that  '  if  Christ 
be  in  you,  although  the  body  must  die,  yet  the  spirit  shall  live.' 
I  cannot  but  doubt  also  the  correctness  of  the  exposition  of  John 
V.  21.  given  in  note  1.  v.  1 1.  Macknight  thinks  a  "  spiritual"  or 
moral  "  resurrection"  to  be  there  affirmed.  So  also  Ammon,  in 
his  addition  to  Koppe's  note  on  v.  1 1.  But  it  is  mentioned  by  our 
Lord,  to  illustrate  what  he  had  before  said,  that  the  Messiah 
should  perform  greater  works  than  those  which  he  had  just  now 
performed,  (see  vv.  5 — 9.)  ;  and  it  is  plainly  parallel  with  vv.  25. 
25.)  which  are  proved  by  the  language  in  vv.  28.  29.  (comp. 


5Q  Ifotes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romaris.      [Chap.  VIII, 

2  Mace.  VII.  14.)  to  refer  to  a  firo/ier  resurrection.  So  also 
vv.  22.  30,  refer  to  a  real  judgment,  over  which  Christ  will  pre- 
side.— If  TO  <r«,t«.!«,  the  fleshly  principle,  be  dead,  how  can  t« 
c-ufAMTo.  be  said  to  be  alive  ?  Certainly  not  in  the  same  respect ; 
if  they  are  made  dead,  it  is  to  sin,  and  if  alive,  it  must  be  to  righte- 
ousness. But  if  this  be  the  meaning,  would  not  St.  Paul,  after 
e-ui^ctTd  6f4.aVf  V.  11.,  have  added  cig  or  ^icc  S'lKccioc-wtiv  ? 

Macknight  seems  to  have  followed  Locke,  whom  sec,  especially 
his  long  note  (k),  the  principal  part  of  which  is  against  Whitby. 
I  confess  it  does  not  satisfy  me.  Also  in  his  paraphrase  there 
seems  to  be  a  little  inconsistency;  for  in  v.  10.  he  speaks  lYi  the 
present,  •'  sinful,  carnal  lusts  are  mortified,"  but  in  v.  1 1.  he  uses 
the  future,  "  ivill  by  his  Spirit  enliven  your  mortal  bodies,  that  sin 
s/tall  not  have  the  sole  power  and  rule  there,  but  your  members 
may  be  made  living  instruments  of  righteousness."  His  "  demand" 
of  Whitby  "  to  shew  5y»}T«y  any  where  in  the  New  Testament  at- 
tributed to  any  thing  void  of  life,"  with  the  attempt  to  reduce  his 
exposition  to  an  absurdity,  is  not  very  alarming ;  for  it  may  well 
be  said,  "  God  shall  quicken  your  ^viirx  a-ufjutcrx"  i.  e.  your  bo- 
dies, which  being  5v>)t«,  weak,  miserable,  corrupt,  mortal^  must 
consequently  become  vcK^tt,  dead. 

See  Whiiby,  particularly  on  v.  11.,  whose  exposition  seems  to 
mc  to  agree  with  the  context. 

Rosen,  takes  o-w/m.*  literally,  and  »£xf<«  as  expressive  of  that 
debility  which  is  produced  by  the  indulgence  of  vicious  passions, 
and  7rv£v^«  of  Christian  doctrine.  But  this  destroys  the  antithesis 
between  c-«.  and  tt*. — Kop.  understands  o-m.  hck.  of  the  body, 
prone  to  sin,  miserable  and  mortal,  perhaps  also,  frail  and  weak ; 
5ry.  ^wj}.  cither  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  aulhour  of  life,  or,  the 
ioul,  as  restored  to  strength  and  happiness  by  the  Gospel.  He 
does  not  determine,  whether  the  resurrection  mentioned  in  the 
1 1th  verse  is  a  moral  one,  or  that  future  resurrection  to  happiness, 
which  the  bodies  of  the  saints  are  to  experience  ;  although  he  in- 
clines to  the  latter,  which,  he  shews,  was  sometimes  attributed  by 
Jewish  writers  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  following  appears  to  me  to  give  the  sense  of  the  passage  : 
'  If  Christ  be  in  you,  (v.  10.),  that  is,  united  to  you  by  living 
faith,  producing  the  temper  and  disposition  of  Christ,  (comp- 
John  XV.  4.  5.  XVII.  23.  expressive  of  intimate  union;  also 
Col.  I.  27.  Gal.  IV.  19.) ;  although  the  body  is  dead  because  of 
sin,  (V.  12. 13. 14.),  although  it  is  confessedly  miserable  and  mor- 
tal, even  in  believers ;  (for  the  propriety  of  the  addition  of  althoughy 
aee  VI.  17.  Matt.  XI.  25.) ;  yet  the  spirit  is  life,  because  of  righte- 


Chap.  VIII.']      Notes  on  the  Efiistle  to  the  Romans.  57 

ousness,  the  soul  is  already  alive  to  God  and  eternal  things,  be- 
cause of  that  piety  and  holiness  which  animate  it,'  or,  *  because  of 
that  justification  which  the  Gospel  imparts.'  Thus,  if  n-v.  in  this 
verse,  mean  the  spiritual  part  of  man,  which  is  most  probable,  I 
think,  on  account  of  the  antithesis.  If  it  signify  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  meaning  will  be  this :  *  the  Holy  Spirit  will  give  life,  because 
of  righteousness ;'  expressing  the  sentiment,  that  he  is  the  agent  in 
effecting  our  resurrection.  This  is  affirmed  in  v  11.  'If  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  raised  Jesus  from  the  dead,  dwell  in  you, 
(comp.  on  V.  9.),  God  (o  ey.  t«v  X.  ex  vsk.  being  a  periphrasis 
for  God)  will  restore  to  life  even  your  moi'tal  bodies,  by  this  same 
Spirit,  who  resides  ill  you.  So  then,  (v.  12),  such  being  our  pre- 
sent state,  and  such  our  hope  of  future  happiness  at  the  general 
resurrection,  we  are  under  strong  obligation,  &c.' 

15.]  IIv.  Ja.  and  stk.  it.  eiiher,  '  such  characters  and  feelings 
of  mind  as  belong  to  servants,  actuated  by  fear,'  or  '  to  children, 
by  affection,'  as  Schleus.  in  wv.  6.,  Rosen.,  Kop.,  and  Macknight, 
(comp.  m.  in  Luke  IX.  55.) ;  or,  '  the  spirit,  which  produces  a 
servile  mind,'  or,  '  which  renders  you  children,'  (agreeably  to  the 
Jewish  manner  of  speaking),  as  Wahl  in  ttv.  6.  c.  a. — Comp. 
2  Tim.  I.  7.  The  state  of  Jews  subjected  to  the  law,  is  no  doubt 
here  meant  by  -JW.  ■5r«>.  ?«  /paS.  (see  Gal.  TV.  1.  2.  3.  24.  25. 
V.  1.);  but  not  to  the  exclusion  of  Gentiles,  who  were  also  in  a 
state  of  bondage  to  corruption  and  lust.  Comp.  Heb.  II.  15. 
which  appears  to  be  equally  comprehensive  in  meaning,  and  Gal. 
IV.  8.  also  below,  V.  21.  For  the  general  sentiment,  see  Gal. 
III.  26.  IV.  5.  latter  clause,  7.  26,  31. — aSQx  is  the  Chaldee  term 
ioT  father,  expressive  of  affection.  Some  have  ridiculously  hunted 
for  a  mystery  in  this  word,  "  pie  magis  quam  vere,"  says  Wolf 
in  loc,  whom  see. 

16.]  Av.  TO  jTv.  This  may  mean,  that  tv.  «<.  just  before  men- 
tioned, and  it  is  so  understood  by  Rosen.  Kop.  explains  xv.  to 
«•*.  of  the  Spirit  himself,  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  this  I  think  is  more 
probable.  Comp.  Gal.  lY.  6. — Si'jtt^af .  is  sometimes  synonymous 
with  ft«j.  (comp.  II.  15.),  and  the  preposition  does  not  necessarily 
add  to  the  force  of  the  primitive  word.  See  Acts  II.  1.  and 
Ernesti,  <§  168.  Hence  some  have  thought  proper  to  explain 
ctvTo — 'iifM)v,  thus,  *  the  Holy  Spirit  bears  testimony  to  our  minds.' 
On  the  other  hand,  although  an  accession  of  meaning  is  not  a 
necessary  consequence  of  the  compounded  use  of  the  preposition, 
yet  it  must  not  be  concluded,  that  the  force  of  the  word  is  never 
thereby  increased.  For  instance,  it  is  highly  probable,  that  «v«- 
fctv^ana  in  Heb.  VI.  6.  signifies  "  crucifying  afresh,"  the  ana- 

8 


58  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  VII!. 

logy  of  the  language,  the  real  crucifixion  of  Christ,  and  the  figu- 
rative  crucifixion  expressed  in  the  passage,  giving  sufficient  sanc- 
tion to  such  a  meaning.  So  also  in  this  place,  <rvf4,f^.  may  have 
the  sense  of  wicnessint;  along  luii/t^  although  from  the  v^ord  alone^ 
I  would  not  infer  that  it  must  have  this  sense.  After  writing  this 
remark,  I  find  that  Morus  has  expressed  the  same  sentiment. 
"  Sfft/tca^rt^f  £(y  accipiunt  sic  :  una  testimonium  dicere,  cogitantque 
de  duplico  tesiimonio,  uno  Spiritus  Sancti  ipsius,  altero  autem 
doctrinae,  quae  idem  nobis  confirmet.  Equidem  rem  non  refiudio  : 
tantum  dico  hoc,  non  /losse  id  ex  ilia  comfiositione  concludi.  quum 
usu  loquendi  constet,  e-vftf^-ec^rv^ci*  idem  esse  quod  /^.x^Tv^etv,  sicut 
Latina  lingua  verbis  Jirmare  et  conjirmare  proniiscue  uiitur.  Lo- 
quendi consuetudo  indicat,  simplex  et  compositum  sefie  nihil  dif- 
fere."  Herm.  Sac.  Part  I.  Sect.  II.  Cap.  V.  §  XIII.  pp.  331. 
332. — The  meaning  seems  to  me  to  be  this :  '  The  Holy  Spirit 
bears  testimony  along  with  our  minds,  that  we  are  children  of 
God.'  Impartial  examination  of  our  own  minds,  enables  us  to 
form  this  conclusion,  from  the  gifts,  (in  reference  to  the  first  ages 
of  Christianity),  and  grace  (communicated  in  various  ways),  and 
instruction  (imparted  in  the  Scriptures,  see  2  Tim.  III.  16.)  of 
the  Holy  Spirit. — But  after  all,  if  the  other  sense  should  be  ad- 
mitted, the  manner  in  which  the  Spirit  bears  witness  to  our  minds, 
would  still  remain  for  discussion.  Comp.  Macknight's  note  on 
this  verse. 

18.  19.  J  These,  and  some  of  the  following  verses,  are  extremely 
difficult.  Besides  the  English  commentators,  Macknight,  Locke, 
Whitby,  and  others  ;  the  reader  is  referred  to  Rosen.,  Kop.,  and 
a  dissertation  by  John  Christopher  Doederlein,  in  the  Comment. 
Theolog.  Vol.  I.  pp.  483  et  seq.  There  is  also  a  dissertation  on 
this  subject,  by  J.  Conr.  Danhauwer,  in  the  Thesaurus  Theolo- 
gico-Philologicus,  (added  to  the  Grit.  Sac),  ad  selectiora  et  il- 
lustriora  N.  T.  loca,  Amsteljedami,  1702.  pp.  503  et  seq. 

The  mention  of  suffering  with  Christ,  and  of  being  glorified 
with  him,  leads  the  Apostle  to  these  observations  ;  so  that,  as  Kop. 
remarks,  the  18th  verse  is  closely  connected  with  the  17th.  The 
phraseology,  awex.  e/5  '^jw-ot?,  and  «7rex;.  rm  utuv  TV  S-cn,  seems 
to  me  to  prove  the  identity  of  the  two.  This  ec7roiceiX.vipii  is  some- 
thing, which  is  anxiously  expected  by  '«?  xrtTti.  To  ascertain  the 
meaning  of  tcrto-ti  therefore,  is  important,  in  ascertaining  that  of 
the  whole  passage. 

Some  very  distinguished  commentators,  (Rosen.,  Kop.,  and 
others),  understand  by  ktio-k  all  terrestrial  creation,  the  whole 
worldly  system,  and  explain  it  figuratively,  thus :  *  All  creation 


Chap.  VIII.]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  59 

expects  the  time,  when  the  true  felicity  and  honour  of  God's  chil- 
dren shall  be  manifested.'  They  remark,  that  prosopopoeiae, 
ascribing  to  universal  nature,  what  can  properly  be  affirmed  of 
none  but  intelligent  creatures,  are  not  uncommon.  They  refer  to 
the  Hebrew  poets,  also  to  Greek  and  Latin  writers.  Theodoret, 
quoted  in  Koppe's  note  on  v.  19.,  understands  xTtm  in  the  same 
figurative  manner.  To  illustrate  this  meaning  of  it,  comp.  Isa. 
XL  6—9.  LV.  12.  Ps.  XCVI.  II.  12.  also  Hos.  II.  23.  with 
Dathe's  and  Rosen. 's  notes. — But,  if  jctio-h  has  a  figurative  sense 
here,  it  must  also  be  figurative  in  vv.  20.  21.  22.,  which  seems  to 
be  inconsistent  with  what  is  there  affirmed  of  ««<?/{,  (comp.  Mac- 
knight,  note  1.  on  V.  22.).  I  do  not  think  that  either  Rosen,  or 
Kop.  fully  meets  this  objection  to  their  view.  'On  Kent — S-ea,  v.  2 1., 
is  thus  translated  by  Rosen.  "  Ut  ipsa  rerum  natura  liberatur  a 
necessitate  interitus,  tempore  liberationis  filiorum  Dei."  But  to 
set  any  one  in  the  liberty  enjoyed  by  another,  is  something  moie 
than  deliverance  from  the  necessity  of  destruction ;  nor  can  I  sec 
why  ehtvB-e^ta,  must  mean,  "  immunitas  a  morte,"  as  Kop.  says, 
because  it  is  in  opposition  to  ^s.  <p6.  I  should  rather  suppose, 
that  the  f A£»5ff  «e  is  a  state  in  which  the  xtith;  is  to  be  placed. 
Besides,  such  a  figurative  use  of  xric-;?  is,  most  probably,  too 
highly  poetical,  for  a  polemick  work  like  the  epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans. I  find  that  Ammon,  in  his  Excursus  F.  p.  39 1 .,  has  made 
the  same  objection. 

Others  consider  the  word  as  expressing  a  moral  creation,  and 
understand  by  it,  Christians  recently  converted  from  Judaism  or 
Heathenism  ;  Noesselt  (see  Ammon,  ubi  sup.  p.  392.  and  Rosen. 
on  V.  19.  ad  fin.),  only  of  converts  from  Heathenism.  But  then 
V.  23,  must  be  restricted  to  Jewish  converts,  or  to  the  Apostle 
himself,  with  his  brethren  perhaps  in  the  ministry;  but  this  is 
improbable,  as  what  is  there  affirmed,  is  as  applicable  to  all 
Christians  as  to  them.  Ov  (mvov  ^e  aXXcc  is  used  elsewhere  in  the 
epistle,  (comp.  V.  3.  11.  IX.  10^),  to  denote  opposition,  and 
V.  22.  shews  that  it  should  be  thus  understood  there.  It  may  be 
said  also,  that  if  xr/o-i;  referred  to  Christiana,  it  would,  as  in  other 
places,  be  accompanied  by  some  adjunct.  See  Eph.  IV.  24. 
2Cor.V.  17.  Gal.VL  15. 

Many  of  the  best  commentators  take  jtT«r/;  in  the  sense  of  man- 
kind generally^  the  popular  use  of  language  allowing  that  to  be 
affirmed  of  all,  which  is  applicable  to  a  large  proportion.  Comp. 
John  X.  8.  Thus  )i.o<fiJi,oi  is  often  used,  and  7rx<i-»  '■>)  ktio-k;.  See 
John  XI I.  19.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  use  of  language.  See 
Mark  XVI.  15.  Col.  I.  23.  1  Tim.  III.  16,,  and  comp.  Mid.  on 


60  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  VIII. 

V,  22.  This  is  the  view  given  by  Doederlein,  in  the  dissertation 
before  referred  to.  See  also  Lightfoot,  Hor.  Heb.  in  loc.  This 
sense  suits,  I  think,  the  scope  of  the  place. 

If  we  admit  now,  that  the  sense  last  given  is  the  true  meaning 
of  icTKrii  here,  the  /iteA.  Jo|.  «5r.  ti(  'tifc.  v.  18.,  or,  the  uvok.  t«» 
vt.  rn  ^t.  V.  19.,  is,  what  mankind  in  general  were  anxiously 
expecting,  (Kop.  allows,  that  u^okx^xS'okix  in  this  filace^  may  be 
emphatick,  because  joined  with    etTrtKhx^fott^   and  followed   by 
a-vs-tfce^fi  and  o-vvaS'tvei,  and  therefore  he  renders  it,  "  magno  cum 
desiderio  expectat;"  comp.  Ernesti,  §  172.),  i.  e.  an  amelioration 
of  their  condition,  expected  in  different  degrees  of  excellency,  and 
with  different  degrees  of  certainty,  according  to  circumstances. 
For  such  an  expectation  existing  among  the  Gentiles,  see  Scholar 
Armed,  Vol.  I.  pp.  196—199.  and  II.  pp.  345—350.  second  edit. 
Lond.  1800, — Perhaps  t«» — '}}fMis  aiid  rvi^-^m  may  refer  to  the 
present  blessings  of  Christianity.     Comp.  1  Cor.  II.  7.  9.  10.  and 
the  passage  as  quoted  from  Isa.  LXIV.  4.  (Heb.  3.),  although 
Bishop  Lowth  is  not  satisfied  that  it  is  a  quotation,  (see  his  note 
on  the  Prophet).     This  agrees  with  v.  19.  here.     Comp.  also 
^<>|«  and  h\x^<o  in  2  Cor.  III.  7—11.  Rom.  IX.  4.  and  "TOOri 
in  Isa.  VIII.  23.   (Eng.  Trans.  IX.  1.),  where  see  Dr.  Lowth's 
note,  or  Bishop  Lowth's,  or  Rosen.'s.     The  same  language  how- 
ever is  applicable  to  ihe  future  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  see  2  Cor. 
IV.  17.  18.  Col.  III.  4.,  and  this  is  in  unison  with  tjjv  i^txxufrxv 
J»|«y ;  nor  will  it  be  at  variance  with  the  context,  as  the  nvhole  of 
these  blessings  need  not  be  considered  as  the  object,  of  which  this 
expectation  is  asserted,  but  only  that  part  which  is  the  earnest  or 
pledge  of  the  rest.     From  the  same  terms  being  used  to  express 
both  the  present  and  future  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  I  am  disposed 
to  think,  that  they  are  here  considered  in  connexion,  as  constituting 
one  whole,  the  expectation  of  which  may  be  affirmed,  although  the 
expectants  were  not  aware  of  the  full  extent  of  them  ;  their  views 
differing  according  to  situation  and  circumstances. 

This  text  affords  no  ground  for  the  opinion,  that  all  animals  will 
be  restored  to  life  in  a  future  state.  If  it  proved  any  thing  on  this 
subject,  xTiTii  must  be  taken  in  the  first  sense,  and  then  it  would 
prove  too  much. 

20.]  Ma-r.  is  equivalent  to  ^^H'  ^^^  means,  a  frail,  miserable, 
unhappy  condition.  See  Eccles.  1.2.3.— 'Ytot.  -Sa/an,  according 
to  Locke,  who  refers  to  Col.  II.  15.  Heb.  II.  14.  15. ;  jidam,  says 
Jac.  Cap.,  "  propter  Adami  culpam;"  God  himself,  say  Doed., 
Ammon,  Rosen.,  and  Macknight.  So  also  Kop.,  referring  to  the 
curse  denounced  on  man,  in  consequence  of  the  transgression. 


Chap.  VIII.]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  Si 

He  connects  cXvih  with  iJjrETay;?,  placing  the  intermediate  words 
in  a  parenthesis,  and  joining  iXvih  with  ort  in  the  next  verse. 
Thus  also  Griesbach.  'On  will  then  have  the  sense  of  that.  Per- 
haps this  is  the  best  arrangement  of  the  passage ;  although  the 
period  may  be  completed  with  eXvih^  and  the  meaning  be,  that 
although  thus  subjected,  mankind  are  nevertheless  in  a  state  of 
hope.     Comp.  v.  24. 

21.]  Aax,  <p6.  the  wretched  state  of  servitude  to  sin,  in  wi«ch 
mankind  are,  and  the  misery  which  is  its  attendant. 

22.  j  St^s*.  Ktti  crvvu.  Figurative  language,  to  express  earnest' 
ness  of  expectation.  Comp.  v.  26.  The  usual  meaning  of  x^V 
T»  yj^y,  even  till  the  present  time,,  appears  preferable  to,  at  this 
timey  in  this  constitution  ofthings,  as  Kop.,  and  after  him  Rosen., 
referring  to  Heb.  III.  13. 

23.]  Kop.  observes,  that  uvroi — e^dtres  is  in  opposition  to 
wflto-a  ';;  KTie-iif  which  he  considers  as  necessary  to  add  after  a 
fMvo*  h,  in  order  to  supply  the  ellipsis.  He  disjoins  'nfteii  avrei 
from  eivToi — exovrei,  supposing  it  to  refer  to  the  Apostle  himself. 
So  also  Rosen,  and  Doed.  Ammon  very  properly  objects  to  this, 
as  it  is  not  likely  that  St.  Paul  would  introduce  himself  with  any 
such  distinction.  As  xtt.  means  the  first  fruits,  or  offerings,  or 
benefits,  so  uTr.  m.  seems  to  mean,  the  first  benefits  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  dispensed  to  Christians;  not  absolutely  his  very  first  influ- 
ences or  gifts,  but  in  a  popular  sense,  as  we  say, '  the  first  Christi- 
ans,' meaning  those  of  the  early  ages.  Thus  avroi — '7if*.iti  uvroi 
signifies,  '  we  who  are  already  partakers  of  the  privileges  of  the 
Gospel.'  In  a  certain  degree,  Christians  have  already  received 
the  CteB-es-tx'  Comp.  v.  15. 16.  Gal.  III.  26.  1  John  III.  2,  The 
full  blessings  of  a  state  of  adoption  are  here  meant;  and  those 
blessings  are  connected  with  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  here 
called  its  deliverance,  nvh.,  viz.  from  corruption,  (1  Cor.  XV. 
42 — 44.),  and  from  sin  with  its  effects,  (Phil.  III.  21,). 

I  shall  now  endeavour  to  give,  what  appears  to  be  the  meaning 
of  this  passage,  from  the  18th  verse,  in  a  paraphrastick  transla- 
tion. '  I  consider,  that  the  afflictions  to  which  we  are  now  subject, 
do  not,  in  the  least,  counterbalance'  (this  is  the  proper  meaning  of 
<»|<**  See  Schleus,  4.,  and  Wahl,  3.)  <  the  blessings  which  the 
Gospel  displays  for  our  enjoyment.  And  (v.  19.)  such  blessings, 
as,  by  the  Gospel,  God  imparts  to  his  children,'  (that  is  to  say,  an 
amelioration  of  the  present  unhappy  state  of  the  world),  '  vast 
numbers  of  mankind  are  ardently  expecting.  And  (v.  20.)  this  is 
a  reasonable  expectation ;  for,  although  mankind  are  subject,  in 
their  present  state,  to  frailty  and  death,  by  the  providence  of  God 


62  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap  VIII. 

permitting  it  for  wise  purposes,  it  was  not  in  consequence  of  any 
direct  act  of  their  own,  and  therefore  they  entertain  the  hope, 
(v,  21.),  that  they  shall  be  delivered  from  their  present  miserable 
situation,  and  brought  into  that  state  of  happiness,  of  present  fa- 
vour with  God,  and  of  well  grounded  expectation  of  future  bliss, 
which  Christians  now  enjoy.'  (Thus  if  «r'  fA.  be  connected  with 
oTi.  If  the  period  be  completed  there,  the  translation  will  run 
thus  :  '  and  therefore  they  are  in  a  state  of  hope.  For  they  shall 
be  delivered,  Sec.'),  (v.  22.)  '  For  it  is  well  known,  that  till  the 
present  day,  mankind  have  been  earnestly  longing  for  some  such 
improvement  of  state  and  character,  as  the  Gospel  offers-  (v.  23.) 
And  not  they  only,  not  merely  the  great  mass  of  the  Gentile 
world,  but  we  Christians  also,  who  are  already  partakers  of  the 
privileges  of  the  Gospel,  even  we  ardently  aspire  after  its  full 
blessings,  when  our  adoption  as  God's  children,  shall  be  publickly 
recognized,  by  the  deliverance  of  our  bodies  from  corruptibility, 
at  the  general  resurrection.' — This  exposition  is,  I  think,  sup- 
ported by  the  usage  of  language,  and  agrees  with  the  second  part 
of  the  Apostle's  design,  as  stated  in  note  [t]  to  the  translation  of 
Koppe's  introduction.  See  p.  7.  For  if  such  were  the  expecta- 
tions of  a  large  proportion  of  mankind,  it  need  excite  no  surprise, 
that  the  benefits  of  Christianity  were  oifered  to  Gentiles,  as  well 
as  to  Jews. 

24.  25.]  These  verses  appear  to  be  intimately  connected  with 
the  preceding,  thus  :  '  it  is  not  surprising,  that  we  Christians  are 
earnest  in  our  expectation  of  additional  blessings,  rtj — ccru9.  for 
we  are  in  a  state  of  salvation,  wherein  hope  is  to  be  constantly  ex- 
ercised.' For  this  meaning  of  fo-aiS.  see  IX.  27.  XI.  26.  Acts 
II.  47.  1  Cor.  I.  18.  and  other  similar  places.  E^irn — iXvt^ti  i 
'  hope  enjoyed  is,  in  reality,  not  hope ;  did  we  already  possess,  in 
the  fullest  degree,  the  object  hoped  for,  hope  would  yield  to  frui- 
tion.* E«  ^« — ofnrac.  '  hence  the  hope  of  this  object,  which  cannot, 
in  the  present  state,  be  fully  enjoyed,  leads  to  persevering  expec- 
tation, notwithstanding  all  difficulties.'  BXt^ru  here,  means  strictly, 
*  perceived  by  the  senses*  "  spes  rerum  quae  adsunt,  bonorum  prae- 
sentium,"  (Schleus.  in  verb.  1.) ;  but  enjoyment  is  evidently  the 
idea  intended  to  be  conveyed,  in  which  sense  eTrrofAxi  is  used  in 
Matt.  V.  8.     See  Wahl  in  otttu,  2.  b. 

26.J  To  TV.  Schleus.  understands  this  of  the  Christian  cha- 
racter and  disposition,  "  hi  ipsi  sensus  animi,  per  religionem 
Christianam  emendati."  See  him  on  vttvfjM^  20.,  or  o-t/vavT,  2. 
So  also  Rosen.,  directing  his  reader  however  to  the  Holy  Spirit, 
as  its  authour.    The  more  usual  sense  of  Holy  Spirit,  which  is 


Chap.  VIII.]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  Q2 

given  by  Kop.,  is  preferable,  I  think ;  as  there  is  no  reason  for 
supposing  it  to  be  diflferent  from  5r».  in  v.  23.  The  sense  of  the 
first  clause  of  the  verse  seems  to  be  this :  '  the  Holy  Spirit  assists 
us  in  our  present  state,  which,  notwithstanding  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel,  is  a  state  of  imperfection.'  Av.  to  ^».  Rosen,  renders 
it  as  before  ;  so  also  Schleus.,  who  considers  KiTrt^etr.  as  equivalent 
to  is-t/ixatvr,,  thus:  "  this  same  disposition  of  mind  assists  us  in  our 
prayers."  See  him  in  o'Tre^evrvf^^eivu.  Under  the  word  evrvf^xva, 
2.,  he  explains  in  kxt.  $■.  ev.  utt.  ky.  in  v.  27.,  thus:  "  nam 
Spiritus  S.  adjuvat  Christianos;"  where  Rosen,  considers  ^».  as 
personified.  The  other  meaning  is  far  better  thus ;  '  the  same 
Spirit,'  or,  '  the  Spirit  himself;'  for  it  has  evidently  the  same 
sense  in  v.  26.  27.  Comp.  v.  16. — ^X-k.  and  ert;y.  are  considered 
by  Schleus.  as  equivalent.  Macknight,  v.  27.,  note  2.,  gives  to 
evrty.  and  rvy.  the  sense  of  comfilaining^  which  it  has  when  fol- 
lowed by  x«T«.  See  Schleus.  3.  To  "  complain  for  the  saints," 
is  to  complain  on  their  behalf,  against  efforts  which  might  injure 
them,  i.  e.  to  espouse  their  cause,  (in  which  sense  both  words  are 
frequently  used),  to  assist  them  in  their  difficulties,  and  to  strengthen 
their  weak  efforts.  Sr,  aA«A.  is  a  strong  figure,  to  denote  the 
earnestness  of  this  holy  agent. 

28.  29.  30.]  St.  Paul  had  said,  that  Christians  enjoy  many 
blessings  of  the  Gospel,  although  the  full  fruition  is  yet  to  be  ex- 
pected ;  and  that,  in  the  present  life,  they  are  subjected  to  various 
■evils,  alleviated  however  by  the  influences  and  assistance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Now  he  remarks,  that  all  those  evils  shall,  in  the 
end,  contribute  to  their  welfare  ;  and  that  God  has  already  be- 
stowed on  them  immense  benefits,  which  he  will  not  fail  to  conti- 
nue to  them. — KAs}.  who  have  embraced  the  Gospel.  Comp.  I.  6. 
— n^efl.  see  Eph.  I.  11.  and  particularly  III.  1 1.  with  the  context, 
which  shews,  that  the  object  to  whicli  this  benevolent  purpose  re- 
lates, is,  the  admission  of  the  Gentiles  into  the  church  of  Christ. 
This  is  the  jw-t/f .,  the  hidden  doctrine,  unknown  and  almost  incom- 
prehensible to  the  Jews,  which  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel 
displayed.     See  vv.  3.  6.  8.  9.  of  Eph. 

n^»eyv«y  Rosen,  explains  this  of  prescience  of  character,  and 
yr^M^ic-e,  of  determination  founded  on  such  prescience.  "  Quos 
praescivit  fore  xAjjts?,  firobos  Christianos,  hos  decrevit  filio  suo 
similes  reddere,  i.  e.  participes  ejusdem  felicitatis,  qua  Christus 
fruitur."  This  would  favour  the  Arminian  system.  But  the  ad- 
dition is  evidently  made  without  authority ;  "  arbitraria  ratione," 
says  Kop.,  who  rejects  the  supposition  of  especial  regard  and 
affection  being  implied  in  the  word,  as  might  be  expected,  frona 


64  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.       [Chap.  VIII. 

his  refusal  to  recognize  this  idea  in  the  simple  verb.  See  the  note 
above  on  VII.  15.  He  thinks,  that  God's  prescience,  not  merely 
of  a  man's  faith,  but  of  every  thing  relating  to  his  character  and 
state  in  this  vi^orld,  is  the  idea ;  in  other  words,  that  the  Apostle 
intends  to  say,  that  the  reception  of  the  blessings  of  Christianity 
was  not  a  matter  of  chance,  but  depended  on  God's  wise  and  eter- 
nal design.  However,  as  the  idea  of  affection  is,  most  probably, 
sometimes  expressed  by  the  word  yiiuTKu,  it  appears  preferable* 
to  give  the  same  meaning  to  v^oy.  here ;  which  Schleus.  has  done, 
in  verb.  4. ;  although  I  see  no  reason  why  it  should  have  no  other 
force  than  that  of  the  simple  verb,  and  would  therefore  render  it, 
*  whom  he  of  old  regarded  with  affection.'  So  also  in  XI.  2.  St. 
Paul  thus  uses,  in  reference  to  the  Gentiles,  the  same  expression 
of  God's  kind  regard,  which  he  afterwards  uses,  in  reference  to  the 
Jews.  And  perhaps  he  adopts  this  word,  in  order  to  intimate  (*> 
the  Jews,  that  God  was  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  was  as  favour- 
ably disposed  to  the  Gentiles  as  to  themselves. 

n^«. — xvTS'  The  conformity  to  the  image  or  pattern  of  Christ, 
which  God's  predetermination  had  in  view,  appears,  from  the  con- 
text, to  be  a  general  conformity,  in  afflictions,  (See  v.  17.  1  Pet. 
IV.  1.),  in  holiness  (VI.  3 — 7.),  and  in  future  happiness  (VI.  8. 
VIII.  17.  latter  clause).  Comp.  Schleus.  in  mtm  3. — Ti^ur.  As 
the  first  born,  or  begotten,  among  the  Hebrews,  had  peculiar  pri- 
vileges, (see  1  Chron.  V.  1.  2.  Gen.  XXV.  31—34.  and  Upham's 
Translation  of  Jahn's  Biblical  Archaeology,  §  165.),  the  word 
5r^»r.  is  used  in  the  sense  of  heivy  or,  as  here,  of  chiefs  head. 
The  Jewish  writers  apply  the  word  to  the  Messiah,  in  the  same 
sense. 

EaxXia-r  called  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel ; 
eS'ix,.  justijied  by  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins.  (See  IV.  7.  8.  and 
note  there).  In  this  sense,  the  word  S'lx.xtoM  is  generally  used  in 
this  epistle.  Eh^xrc  Locke  adds,  "  in  his  purpose ;"  but  with- 
out authority,  and  the  idea  is  plainly  implied  in  TF^oa^io-e.  Kop. 
makes  each  of  the  three  aorists  equivalent  to  a  present,  in  which 
sense  it  is  unquestionable,  that  expressions  literally  in  a  past  tense 
must  sometimes  be  taken,  as  those  which  are  in  the  present,  must 
sometimes  be  understood  as  if  in  the  future.  Thus,  in  speaking 
of  Christ's  atonement,  we  may  say,  '  through  it  God  has  saved 
sinners ;'  or,  of  the  benefits  of  the  Gospel,  '  they  advance  us  to 
heaven.'  I  do  not  see  however,  why  e^olaiire  may  not  be  used,  in 
reference  to  the  blessings  which  Christianity  had  already  shed  on 
believers,  the  amelioration  of  their  condition  which  it  had  pro- 
duced, together  with  the  gifts  and  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  already 


Chap.  VIIL]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  65 

bestowed,  and  the  expectation  of  future  glory,  which  the  believer 
may  reasonably  anticipate,  which  glory  it  is  not  unusual  in  Scrip- 
ture to  speak  of,  as  belonging  to  the  Christian,  (see  John  III.  36. 
X.  28.,  first  clauses  of  each),  the  present  and  future  blessings  of 
the  Gospel  being  connected  as  one  great  whole.  That  ^«|.  might 
be  used  of  present  glory,  is  evident  from  the  note  on  v.  18.  19., 
which  see ;  and  that  this  is  at  least  a  part  of  what  the  Apostle 
means,  is  highly  probable,  from  the  question  in  the  next  verse. 

Macknight,  on  v.  29.  note  1.  remarks,  that  "  this  foreknow- 
ledge is  different  from  that  mentioned  XI.  2.,  and  must  be  a  fore- 
knowledge of  individuals  as  heirs  of  eternal  life,  since  it  is  con- 
nected with  sanctification,  justification,  and  glorification."  But 
would  it  not  be  extraordinary,  if  St.  Paul  should  all  along  speak 
of  communities,  and  even  in  this  chapter,  as  he  himself  allows, 
(see  his  note  on  v.  16.j,  and  here  of  individuals?  In  v.  28.  the 
wfofl.  refers  to  a  community,  as  is  evident  by  the  meaning  in  the 
parallel  place,  Eph.  III.  1 1.  But  those  foreknown,  or  rather,  o/ 
old  regarded  with  affection,  are  surely  the  persons  to  whom  the 
^^«0.  refers,  and  they  are  identified  with  the  called,  justified,  and 
glorified.  See  I  Cor.  VI.  11.,  and  compare  the  language  there, 
with  the  actual  state  of  many  in  the  Corinthian  church.  It  is  the 
will  of  God,  that  Christians  shall  be  like  his  Son,  (1  Thes.  IV.  7.) ; 
that  will  is  here  expressed.  It  appears  to  me,  that  St.  Paul,  in 
several  of  his  epistles,  affirms  certain  benefits  to  belong  to  Chris- 
tians, on  the  suftfiosition,  that  they  live  consistently  with  the  re- 
quisitions of  Christianity,  and  that  many  of  our  Lord's  declarations 
are  made  on  a  similar  supposition,  although  not  expressed  in 
either  case.     See  Essay  at  the  end  of  the  notes. 

In  the  view  of  the  authour,  the  meaning  of  the  whole  passage  is 
as  follows:  (v.  28.)  *  Let  not  Christians  be  discouraged  at  the 
afflictions  which  they  are  obliged  to  encounter,  for  all  events  and 
circumstances  shall  prove  to  be  beneficial  to  those  who  love  God, 
to  those  who  accept  the  Gospel  invitation,  which,  according  to 
God's  gracious  purpose  to  unite  Gentiles  and  Jews  in  one  body  in 
his  church,  is  off'ered  to  them.  For  (v.  29.)  as  he  before  regarded 
them  with  kindness  and  affection,  so  did  he  also  determine  before, 
that  they  should  be  like  his  Son  in  suff'erings,  in  holiness,  and  in 
future  happiness,  so  that  of  this  vast  band  of  brothers,  he  should 
be  the  head*  And  (v.  30.)  consistently  with  this  previous  regard, 
he  hath  called  them  to  partake  of  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel ;  he 
hath  pardoned  them,  upon  their  compliance,  and  hath  received 
them  into  favour ;  he  hath  honoured  them  with  the  gifts  and  grace 
of  his  Holy  Spirit,  with  the  present  benefits  of  Christianity,  and 

9 


66  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  tJie  Romans.      [Chap.  VIII' 

the   well  founded   expectation   of  enjoying  its   full  benefits  in 
heaven.* 

Kop.  very  judiciously  remarks,  that  the  passage  treats  wholly 
of  the  magnitude  of  the  divine  benefits  conferred  on  us  Christians, 
and  says  nothing  of  the  state  of  others,  whom  we  are  to  leave  to 
the  wise  and  benignant  disposer  of  all  things. 

31.]  The  divine  favours,  which,  it  was  well  known,  that  Gentile 
converts,  as  well  as  Jewish,  had  received,  illustrate  the  pertinency 
of  this  question.     Comp.  Acts  XI.  17. 

33. J  The  sentiment  in  this  verse,  and  in  the  two  following, 
becomes  much  more  forcible,  by  considering  the  various  clauses 
as  interrogations.  And  this  is  done  by  Erasmus,  after  Augustin, 
(see  Crit.  Sac.  Tom.  VII.  p.  757.),  by  Locke,  Schoettgen,  Gries- 
bach,  and  Koppe.  Ammon  objects,  that  it  disturbs  the  sense  in 
V.  34. ;  I  cannot  see  in  what  way.  Instead  "  of  representing  God 
as  an  accuser  at  the  tribunal  of  his  Son,"  which  is  Macknight's 
objection,  it  represents  the  absurdity  of  such  a  supposition.— 
E^XsKTur  i.  e.  the  body  of  Christians  before  spoken  of,  as  f»A«yn 
in  XI.  7.  means,  that  part  of  the  Jewish  nation  which  embraced 
the  Gospel ;  a  conformity  in  heart  and  life  to  its  requisitions,  be- 
ing however  presumed.  Thus  the  word  elect  was  used  by  the 
earliest  Christian  writers.  See  among  other  places,  the  Pastor  of 
Hermas,  in  Pat.  Apost.  edit.  Cotel.  Ant.  1700.  Vis.  I.  Cap.  III. 
p.  76.  Vis.  II.  Cap.  I.  II.  p.  76.  77.  and  Vis.  IV.  Cap.  II.  p.  83. 
Also  the  account  of  the  martyrdom  of  Polycarp,  in  Eus.  Eccles. 
Hist.  edit.  Paris.  1659.  Lib.  IV.  Cap.  XV.  p.  134.,  where  kttitui 
and  tKXsKTm  are  set  in  opposition,  and  followed  by  this  observation 
of  the  authour ;  "  of  which  number,  (viz.  of  the  elect),  this  most 
admirable  person  was  one,"  as  the  Greek  is  correctly  translated 
in  the  Cambridge  edition  of  1683,  p.  59.  Archbishop  Wake,  in 
his  translation,  New-York  edition,  §  16.  p.  247.,  has,  "  one  of 
which,  this  great  martyr,  Polycarp,  most  certainly  was ;"  and 
Milner,  in  his  "  History  of  the  Church  of  Christ,"  American 
edition.  Cent.  I.  Chap.  V.  p.  215.,  "  was  doubtless  one."  The 
words  "  most  certainly"  and  "  doubtless"  are  unauthorized,  and 
might  lead  td  a  misapprehension  of  the  meaning. 

35 — 39.]  These  verses  merely  express  the  strong  confidence 
which  the  Apostle  had,  that  true  Christians  should  for  ever  enjoy 
the  blessings  which  the  love  of  Christ  had  procured.  He  begins 
by  declaring,  that  no  trials,  however  great  and  various,  should  de- 
stroy their  connexion  with  their  Saviour,  (v.  35 — 37.),  and  then 
(v.  38.  39.)  expresses,  in  animated  language,  his  persuasion,  that 
no  external  power  of  any  kind  should  be  able  to  produce  this 


Chap.  VIII.]       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  67 

effect.  Comp.  our  Lord's  declarations,  John  X.  28.  29.,  which 
are  made  of  his  sheep  ;  who  and  what  they  are,  still  remaining  to 
be  gathered  from  other  passages.  But  in  neither  place,  is  any 
thing  said  of  the  effects  of  sin.  How  far  this  could  operate,  and 
what  would  be  the  effects  of  its  influence,  is  to  be  sought  else- 
where. See  the  remark  of  St.  Paul,  when  writing  on  a  different 
subject,  1  Cor.  IX.  27.— With  v.  36.  comp.  Ps.  XLIV.  22. 
(XLIII.  23.  'Sept.  Breit.  Edit.),  which  is  applied  to  the  Apostle's 
purpose. — 'Ytts^v.  Probably  this  compound  verb  expresses  the 
completeness  and  certainty  of  the  conquest.  See  Kop.,  Rosen., 
and  Wahl  in  verb. — A^x'^i,  v.  38.,  and  c^aa-tctt,  are  both  used  of 
civil  authorities,  (comp.  Tit.  III.  1.  Luke  XII.  11.);  and  pro- 
bably S'vvxf^ii  in  I  Cor.  XV.  24.  Eph.  I.  21.  1  Pet.  III.  22.  in- 
eludes  worldly  powers.  See  Schleus.  in  verb.  11.  and  Wahl,  d, 
both  uf  whom  explain  this  text  of  earthly  authorities.  However, 
as  I  find  no  instance  in  the  New  Testament  of  <J^t/v.  being  used 
exclusively  in  this  sense,  and  as  ecyyeXoi^  <^SX^  (Epii.  III.  10.) 
and  ^vfcc/Aii,  are  certainly  used  of  other  powers  than  terrestrial, 
and  superiour  to  such,  (see  the  texts  above  referred  to ;  also 
Schleus.  in  S'vk  1 1.  Mid.  on  Matt.  XIV.  2.,  and  with  the  passages 
which  he  quotes  from  Eus.  comp.  Justin  Martyr,  edit.  Thirl. 
p.  412.  and  Irenseus,  Lib.  I.  Cap.  XXV.  p.  102.  edit.  Grabe  ; 
"  Cerinthus  docuit  factum  esse  mundum  a  virtute  quadam."  Or 
see  the  book  Zohar  in  Nolan's  Inquiry  into  the  Integrity  of  the 
Greek  Vulgate,  p.  271.  note;  Mosheim  de  uno  Simone  Mago, 
§  XV.  in  his  Dissertations,  vol.  II.  pp.  90 — 93.;  or,  de  rebus 
Christianorum,  Ssec.  Sec.  §  L.  note,  pp.  364.  365. ;  Suicer's 
Thes.  in  hvxf*.ii,  II.  2.  pp.  969.  970.);  it  seems  preferable,  to 
understand  the  expressions  generally,  of  all  powers,  which  may  be 
supposed  to  contend  with  the  Christian.  Kop.  makes  a  very 
judicious  remark  here,  that  it  is  the  whole  idea,  in  the  Apostle's 
mind,  which  is  to  be  attended  to ;  and  that  we  are  not  to  inquire, 
how  every  individual  being  here  specified,  angels  for  instance,  can 
be  considered  as  opposing  the  Christian's  faith  and  virtue.  To 
illustrate  the  observation,  he  refers  to  1  Cor.  Ill,  22.  Gal.  I.  8. 
Ay.  however  may  be  explained  by  evil  angels. — 'r-4^,  and  ^xB: 
Heaven  and  earth,  says  Schleus. ;  but  other  criticks,  and  among 
them  Koppe,  understand  the  terms  figuratively,  expressing  the 
greatest  prosperity  or  calamity ;  the  height  or  depth  of  them,  as 
we  say. 


6S  Pfotea  on  the  Ejtutle  to  the  Romans.       [Chap.  IX. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

1.]  See  the  translation  of  Koppe's  Introrluction,  p.  10.  and 
notes. — Kop.  and  Rosen,  both  consider  t».  X.  as  a  form  of  swear- 
ing by  Christ.  Although  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  i»  and  3 
are  thus  used,  (comp.  Matt.  V.  34.  Isa.  LXII.  8.);  yet  the  texts 
alleged  by  Kop.,  to  shew  that  St.  Paul  often  confirms  his  declara- 
tions, by  thus  appealing  to  Christ,  are  quite  inadequate  to  prove 
it.  See  2  Cor.  I.  23.  XI.  10.  1  Tim.  V.  21.  Eph.  IV.  17.  £» 
Kv^Kp  in  the  last,  which  is  more  parallel  in  expression  than  any  of 
the  others,  may  be  very  satisfactorily  explained,  as  Le  Clerc,  in 
Koppe,  explains  tf  X.  here,  '  as  a  Christian.'  See  John  XV.  4. 
5.  XVII.  23. — Ev  Try.  may  be  connected  with  «  ^tv.j  as  ev  X.  is 
with  «A.  Xcy.y  the  intermediate  words  being  put  in  a  parenthesisi 
as  Griesbach,  thus ;  '  I  speak  the  truth,  as  a  Christian,  I  do  not 
lie,  being  influenced  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  my  conscience  sanctions 
me  in  this  declaration.'  Or,  f»  v*.  being  connected  with  e-v¥tif. 
fUit  thus ;  '  my  conscience  governed  by  the  Holy  Spirit.' 

3.]  ilvxof*,vv.  Chrys.  (dc  Sac.  Lib.  IV.  Cap.  VI,  p.  186.) 
represents  St.  Paul  as  praying  for  his  own  everlasting  ruin; 
ifv^tcTo  m  yienat  «tietX6t»,  xeet  aiuii^  iret^ui'oBtiyxt  KtXxvei,  Comp. 
also  passages  in  Suicer,  Tom.  I.  pp.  270.  271,,  under  the  word 
»vaOcfMi,  I.  2.  The  term  means,  one  devoted  to  destruction^ 
(see  Schleus.  2.  3.  and  Park.  I.) ;  whether  destruction  by  death, 
or  excision  from  all  connexion  with  God's  people^  is  to  be 
ascertained  by  the  circumstances  and  context.  Most  probably, 
it  here  means  the  former.  Rosen,  and  Kop.  both  remark,  that 
the  imperfect  is  often  used  for  the  optative ;  comp.  Acts  XXV. 
22,  The  pluperfect,  which  is  the  sense  given  by  some,  who 
refer  this  wish  to  St.  Paul's  views  before  his  conversion  to 
Christianity,  is  at  variance  with  the  scope,  and  with  uxt^ — r«g- 
K». — At9  may  have  the  sense  of  by,  and  the  meaning  of  the 
passage  be  given  thus ;  '  I  could  wish,  (were  it  allowable),  to  be 
devoted  to  destruction,  to  be  cut  off  in  death  by  Christ  himself, 
would  it  benefit  my  Jewish  brethren.  Comp.  Exod,  XXXII.  32, 
Rosen,  observes,  that  as  the  destruction  of  the  Jews  is  attributed 
by  St,  Paul  to  Christ,  their  Judge,  against  whom  they  were  pro* 
perly  rebels,  and  as  he  expresses  a  willingness  to  undergo  the 
punishment  in  their  stead,  this  affords  a  reason  for  the  terms  «t« 
Xf/«-»  being  used, 

5.]    On  the  latter  clause  of  this  verse,  i  nt-snt/nK,  see  Mid, 


Chap.  IX.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  69 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  do  not  possess  his  work,  ("  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Greek  article  applied  to  the  criticism  and  the  illustra- 
tion of  the  New  Testament,")  I  sliall  abridge  his  note. 

Schlicting  would  transpose  i  «»,  and  alter  the  expression,  so 
as  to  read  '«»  «,  meaning,  "  whose  is  the  supreme  God."  But 
the  design  of  the  epistle  is  against  this  sentiment.  Comp.  III.  29. 
[It  might  be  replied,  however,  that  although  God  is  indeed  the 
God  of  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  of  the  Jews,  in  this  sense,  that  he 
will  finally  "  accept"  the  sincere  ♦'  worker  of  righteousness  in 
every  nation,"  (see  above,  II.  11.  14.  Acts  X.  34.  35.);  yet  with 
respect  to  external  covenant  and  privileges,  which  the  context 
speaks  of,  the  Gentiles  were  "  without  God  in  the  world,"  (Eph- 
II.  12.).  The  same  observation  is  made,  I  find,  in  Whitby's  Last 
Thoughts,  Lond.  ed.  1822.  p.  96.J  The  alteration  would  require 
the  article  before  ft/Aey^ras,  as  in  Acts  IV.  24.  25. 

Wetstein  remarks,  that  if  the  common  meaning,  which  asserts 
Christ's  supreme  divinity,  is  correct,  the  reading  should  be,  i  m 
i  tvi  -x.  ^.  ev.;  but  this  would  be  false  Greek,  the  latter  o  being 
never  used  in  similar  instances.  Comp.  such  expressions  as  'sj 
t/vci  tc(^sc-is  rm  Set^. ,  not  \  «/f£o-<j,  in  Acts  V.  17.  [The  au- 
thour  quotes  from  Philo,  ra  -r^oi  ccXiiB-eitot  cvroi  ©EOT,  and  tov 
»vrui  evTu  AAH0H  ©EON,  where,  although  the  supreme  God  is 
the  object  spoken  of,  yet  the  article  is  omitted.  I  do  not  know 
how  this  use  of  S-eoi  in  reference  to  the  true  God,  is  to  be  recon- 
ciled with  Philo's  observation  respecting  the  use  of  the  article  in 
connexion  with  3-£05,  quoted  by  Kuin.  on  John  I.  1.  p.  96.  "  The 
Holy  Scripture,  in  Gen.  XXXI.  13 ,  speaking  of  the  true  God^ 
uses  the  article,  saying,  cya  eif^i  o  S-jaj,  but,  when  it  speaks 
figuratively  (s*  Karecxs*io-cf),  it  omits  the  article,  thus,  a  a^flf/j  a-ot 
ev  TOTToi,  not  Tn  ©f»,  but  ©£S  only."  The  article  here  is  plainly 
unnecessary,  because  of  the  preposition.  Perhaps  Philo  does  not 
mean  to  establish  his  remark  as  a  general  principle.  The  infer- 
ence which  Kuin.  makes  from  it,  that  "  from  the  usus  loquendi 
of  the  Alexandrian  Jews  and  of  Philo,  the  supreme  God  and  Ya- 
ther  is  called  o  ©tes,  and  the  Logos  simply  ©£»?,"  is  certainly  not 
universally  true,  as  the  above  quotations  prove.  That  Origen  was 
not  governed  by  this  principle,  is  evident  from  a  passage  in  his 
work  against  Celsus,  edit.  Hoesch.  4to,  Augsburg,  1605.  Lib.  I. 
p.  44.,  where,  in  reference  to  Ps.  XLV.  7.,  he  says,  t«tov  TON 
BEOH  <pt)Tt  xex^io-Sxi  otto  ©EOY,  i(  ti*  »vth  ©EOS.  Comp. 
Mid.  Part  I.  Chap.  VII.  ^  5.  p.  78.] 

There  is  not  the  least  foundation  for  rejecting  ^e«i ;  it  is  sup- 
ported by  undoubted  authority,  although  Schoett.  Hor.  Heb.  in 


70  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.       [Chap.  IX. 

loc.  observes,  that  it  is  wanting  in  many  manuscripts.  [He  does 
not  think  however,  that  the  argument  for  Christ's  divinity  would 
be  essentially  injured  by  the  omission,  if  contended  for,  (although 
he  by  no  raieans  sanctions  the  omission),  because  of  the  use  of 
(vXtyytToij  which  the  Hebrews  applied  to  ihe  true  God.  "  Pona- 
mus  enim,  (nunquam  concessuri)  vocem  ^ioi  hie  esse  glossema, 
tamen  adest  alia  vox  evAoysjro?,  quae  et  ipsa  verum  Deum  deno- 
tat."J  A  different  construction  from  the  received,  has  been  given, 
by  putting  the  stop  after  e-o^x*,  and  predicating  the  remainder  of 
God  the  Father,  thus, — *  may  God,  who  is  over  all,  be  blessed  for 
ever ;'  or,  by  placing  the  stop  after  vct^yu^,  thus, — '  God  be 
blessed  for  ever.'  But  against  the  first  of  these  proposed  emen- 
dations, it  is  to  be  observed,  that  tvX.^  although  properly  without 
the  article,  ought  to  be  placed  first,  to  agree  with  the  usage  in  the 
New  Testament  and  Septuagint.  [See  Luke  I.  68.  2  Cor.  I.  3. 
Eph.  I.  3.  1  Pet.  I.  3.  and  for  the  Sept.  comp.  Trom.  Concord. 
Ps.  LXVH.  20.  Kvfjej  0  5f05  ivXoy/iToi,  is  the  only  instance  of  a 
different  arrangement ;  and,  which  is  very  remarkable,  these  words 
are  immediately  followed  by  tyAay^To?  Ky»<e«  ^f^i^ctv  kx6*  '*if*.c^cn. 
As  there  is  nothing  corresponding  with  Kv^ioi  i  3-eog  tvx.  in  the 
Hebrew,  or  in  the  Chaldee,  or  Syriack,  or  Vulgate,  it  is  probable, 
that  they  are  an  interpolation.  But  whether  or  not,  they  can  be 
explained,  without  making  them  a  formula  of  benediction.]  The 
same  objection  lies  against  the  other  alteration,  and  also  the  want 
of  the  article  before  ^£05.  The  Greek  ought  to  be,  as  in  all  other 
doxologies,  where  the  same  words  are  used,  fnAeyjjTe?  o  ©««{. 
Comp.  above,  and  Trommius;  also  1  Cor.  I.  9.  7r/r«5  0  ©mj. 
2  Cor.  I.  18.  IX.  8.  Heb.  VI.  10. 

Mr.  Wakefield's  translation,  "  who  is,  as  God,  over  all,  &c." 
is  evidently  indefensible. 

Koppe  examines  this  text  at  considerable  length. 
Three  views,  says  he,  have  been  given  of  this  passage.  First* 
the  usual  interpretation,  referring  it  entirely  to  Christ,  either  thus» 
connecting  %-ot.vrm  and  ©£«?,  '  who  is  the  supreme  God,  for  ever 
to  be  adored ;'  or  thus,  joining  ©ms  and  £vA.,  *  who  is  the  Lord 
of  all,  God  for  ever  to  be  adored.'  [In  either  case,  the  supreme 
divinity  of  Christ  is  equally  asserted.]  'O  «v,  which  is  equivalent 
to  05  £ri  (see  I.  25.),  is  much  more  easily  connected  with  the 
preceding  context,  than  with  the  subsequent.  Comp.  John  I.  18. 
III.  13.  2  Cor.  XI.  31.  The  application  of  the  title  of  supreme 
God  to  Christ,  he  observes,  is  in  coincidence  with  the  modes  of 
expression  among  the  Jewish  writers ;  who,  although  they  recog- 
nized the  Messiah  as  a  man,  nevertheless  did  not  hesitate  to  speak 


Chap.  IX.]       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  71 

of  him  as  the  supreme  God.  He  instances  the  application  of  the 
word  Je/iova/if  and  refers  to  several  Hebrew  works. 

The  two  proposed  alterations,  by  changing  the  punctuation,  as 
above  examined  from  Mid.,  are  then  mentioned  by  Kop.,  as 
arising  from  a  doctrinal^  not  a  gratnmatical  difficulty.  Their  ad- 
vocates urge,  that  such  doxologies,  intended  to  apply  to  God  the 
Father,  are  common  with  St.  Paul,  and  they  appeal  to  I.  25. 
Gal.  I.  5.  2  Cor.  XI.  31.  But  in  all  these  places,  says  the  authour, 
the  fireceding  context  relates  to  God  the  Father  also,  which  is  not 
the  case  in  the  passage  under  discussion.  Besides,  the  construc- 
tion, both  Hebrew  and  Greek,  in  doxologies,  differs  from  that 
which  the  proposed  alteration  leaves.     This  would  require  either 

o   Se  ©£«?  0  uv   CTTI   TTXvrav,     st/Aoyjjras    ett}    en;  rm  ctiMvcti,    [^but    of 

this  form,  Kop.  does  not  adduce  one  instance],  or  evXay^roi  o 
©£«5,  corresponding  with  the  Hebrew  form,  which  is  Tl^")-J 
$l)r\^i  not  ^^"^S  nin^ — To  the  construction  which  places 
the  stop  after  crx^Koty  he  further  objects,  that  <yy,  both  from  the 
general  use  of  language,  and  from  the  practice  of  St.  Paul,  is 
rather  to  be  connected  with  the  antecedent  words,  than  with  the 
consequent ;  and  that  in  reply  to  this,  it  will  not  be  sufficient  to 
say,  that  the  Apostle  is  sometimes  inaccurate  in  his  language, 
which,  if  allowed  without  just  cause,  is  at  variance  with  all  true 
and  certain  principles  of  interpretation. — With  Mid.  and  Kop. 
comp.  Whitby,  who  has  an  excellent  note  on  this  passage ;  and 
see  Macknight. 

6.]  Aoy.  €>.  may  be  used  for  God's  threats  or  promises,  ac- 
cording as  the  context  shall  determine.  In  Heb.  IV.  12.  it  pro- 
bably includes  both.  Here  it  refers  to  his  promises.  Comp. 
Ps.  CVI.  12.  in  Sept. 

This  verse,  and  the  first  clause  of  the  following,  may  be  ex- 
plained thus :  *  It  is  not  merely  a  connexion  with  the  people  of 
Israel  by  descent  from  Jacob,  which  constitutes  the  true  Israelite 
in  the  spiritual  sense,  («  in  voce  Israel,"  says  Rosen.,  "  est  em- 
phasis. Israelitae  ii,  ad  quos  pertinent  promissa  Dei,  similes  Is- 
raeli patri  fiducia  et  obsequio  in  Deum,")  nor  (v.  7.)  is  it  a  lineal 
descent  merely  from  the  patriarch  Abraham,  which  makes  persons 
spiritually  his  children.'  Thus  the  latter  clause  of  v.  6.  and  the 
former  of  v.  7.  will  be  antithetick.  i  Then  follows  an  illustration 
of  this  doctrine,  from  the  history  of  the  patriarchs,  shewing  that 
the  Jews  need  not  be  surprised  at  this,  for  with  their  ancestors 
God  had  always  acted  according  to  his  own  purposes,  in  bestow- 
ing particular  privileges  on  the  descendants  of  one,  rather  than  of 
another.    This  is  shewn  in  the  case  of  Isaac,  (v.  7.  8.  9.),  who 


72  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  IX. 

was  born,  not  according  to  the  mere  course  of  nature,  (««»«» 
c«fx8?),  but  in  consequence  of  God's  particular  promise  miracu- 
lously verified,  (tex.  nrccy.').  The  same  preference  was  shewn  in 
the  case  of  Jacob  and  Esau  (v.  10.  11.  12.  13.);  so  that  the  Jews 
had  no  reason  to  be  surprised,  if  a  part  only  of  them  (the  txAoyij 
XI.  7.)  were  admitted  to  partake  of  Christian  privileges.  They 
had  no  reason  to  complain,  because  it  was  their  own  fault,  and 
God's  patience  had  long  been  extended  to  them.     Comp.  v.  22. 

7.]  The  illustration  of  »v  ya,^ — la-^xtiX  (v.  6.)  may  include  the 
former  clause  of  this  verse,  but  the  antithesis  seems  rather  to 
connect  it  with  the  other,  as  before  staled.  The  general  idea  is, 
as  given  by  Koppe,  "  that  admission  to  divine  benefits  does  not 
depend  upon  birth." 

10.]  This  is  probably  elliptical,  for,  *  it  was  not  only  thus  in 
the  case  of  Sarah,  but  in  that  of  Rebecca  also.'  Rosen.,  Kop., 
Ammon,  and  Macknight,  add  something  to  complete  the  sense. 

11.]  The  first  part  of  this  verse  removes  the  objection  which 
might  be  raised  by  a  Jew,  that  Esau  was  rejected  for  his  impiety. 
— 'H — ©ea-  God^s  free  loill  or  fiur/iose,  taking  k*t'  i»Xoy7)v  ad' 
verbially,  (comp.  X.  2.  XL  21.  2  Cor.  VIII.  2.);  or  rather, 
God's  purfiose  according  to  election^,  or  the  choice  which  he  had 
made,  of  the  one  to  be  the  founder  of  his  people,  in  preference  to 
the  other.     Comp.  v^o6.  in  VIII.  28. 

12.]  See  Gen.  XXV.  23.  from  the  whole  of  which  verse,  it 
Is  undeniable,  that  not  individuals,  but  communities,  are  meant. 
In  reference  to  Jacob  and  Esau  themselves,  the  prediction  was 
not  verified. 

13.]  Comp.  Mai.  I.  3.  and  read  the  context,  which  shews  how 
this  hate  was  shewn.  The  word  is  used  to  express  a  less  degree 
of  affection,  than  that  which  is  cherished  for  some  other  obj«ct. 
See  Luke  XIV.  26.  Gen.  XXIX.  31.  (comp.  30.). 

14.]  From  what  the  Apostle  has  said,  his  Jewish  readers  could 
not  but  infer,  that  there  must  be  a  principle  of  faith  to  constitute 
any  the  true  Israelites,  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham,  which  if  the 
Gentiles  have,  they  also  will  make  a  part  of  this  body ;  and  that 
the  rejection  of  unbelieving  Jews  from  being  God's  covenant 
people,  and  the  appropriating  of  that  privilege  to  a  new  commu- 
nity, formed  of  believers,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  was  not  con- 
trary to  God's  past  dealings  with  their  ancestors,  nor  indeed  extra- 
ordinary in  itself,  however  shocking  to  their  prejudices.  M?— 
0e» ;  From  the  rejection  of  the  posterity  of  Ishmael  and  Esau, 
and  also  of  the  present  body  of  unbelieving  Jews,  from  being 
God's  covenant  people,  shall  we  accuse  God  of  injustice  ?    Cer- 


Chap.  IX.J       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  73 

tainly  not.  Comp.  III.  6.  and  notice  also  the  sentiment  in  Matt. 
XX.  15.  The  idea,  wliich  the  next  words  are  intended  to  sanc- 
tion, and  in  reference  to  which,  probably,  ye»f  is  introduced,  is,  I 
think,  this ;  '  God  acts,  in  the  distribution  of  his  favours,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  pleasure.*  Comp.  v.  16.  where  this  idea  is  ex- 
pressed. To  establish  and  illustrate  this  truth,  is  the  principal 
object  of  the  following  verses  to  the  22d.  The  omission  of  the 
prominent  idea,  when  it  may  be  clearly  inferred  from  the  context, 
is  not  at  all  unusual.  See  Luke  XI.  48.  where  the  hypocrisy  of 
the  Pharisees,  not  the  rebuilding  and  ornamenting  of  the  prophets* 
tombs,  is  the  principal  idea,  and  the  ground  of  our  Lord's  denun- 
ciations; so  that  the  various  means  which  have  been  resorted  to 
by  commentators,  in  order  to  remove  a  difficulty  there,  which  in 
reality  does  not  exist,  (see  Kuin-  in  loc),  are  unnecessary.  To 
illubtrate  the  above  remark,  see  also  Lake  XIV.  28.,  where  thfc 
idea,  in  relation  to  which  y«f  is  illative,  although  not  expressed, 
is  evidently  this;  'since  these  difficulties  must  be  encountered, 
reflect  on  them  seriously,  before  you  resolve  to  be  my  disciples, 
lest  afterwards,  by  abandoning  the  cause  to  which  you  had  at- 
tached yourselves,  you  become  like  a  man,  who  attempts  an  ob- 
ject in  which  he  fails.'  Comp.  Virgil,  ^n.  II.  428.  "  Dis  aliter 
visum,"  with  the  preceding  verses;  also  IV.  215 — 2 17.,^ where  a 
similar  ellipsis  occurs. 

15.]  Keeping  in  mind  the  implied  idea,  it  is  as  if  the  Apostle 
had  said  ;  '  this  doctrine  need  not  surprise  you,  it  is  illustrated  in 
many  parts  of  Scripture;  for  instance,  in  what  God  says  to  Moses, 
Exod.  XXXIII.  19.,  tX.—oiK.,  '  I  will  shew  favour  to  whom  I 
will  shew  favour,  and  I  will  be  benignant  to  whom  I  will  be  be- 
nignant.' With  this  passage,  comp.  the  whole  context  in  chaps. 
XXXII.  XXXIII.  and  part  of  XXXIV.,  from  which,  it  is,  to 
say  the  least,  not  improbable,  that  the  extending  of  favour  to  the 
Israelites,  after  the  worship  of  the  golden  calf,  is  contemplated  in 
the  original  passage. 

16.]  Locke,  and  after  him,  Macknight,  explain  ^eX.  and  r^ex* 
of  Isaac's  inclination  to  bless  Esau,  and  of  Esau's  running  Xq 
procure  agreeable  food  for  his  father.  But  as  r^exe^  is  used  to 
denote  effort,  and  S-eXa  may  refer  to  inclination  in  any  one,  the 
meaning  of  ct^oc — Gea  is  probably  this  ;  '  these  favours  do  not  de- 
pend on  our  inclinations  and  efforts,  but  on  God's  goodness.'  So 
Kop.,  who  refers  to  Gal.  II.  2.  where  r^cxttv  is  equivalent  to 
Mvtctvj  IV.  11.,  meaning,  to  make  strong  efforts /or  any  things 
He  quotes  also,  from  a  Greek  poet,  ccvt)^  tiQuXoi  tn  jmv«v  uo^^h 
rffjc^y,  where  rpx,"*  is  used  in  the  same  sense. 

10 


7*4  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans •        [Chap.  1%, 

17.]  r«ef  Comp.  y«^,  v.  15.  The  instance  of  Pharaoh  is 
introduced  to  illustrate  the  principle,  which  the  Apostle  intended 
to  establish.  If  tXiti<ra — oiKxti^aiy  v.  15.,  is  to  be  understood  ex- 
clusively of  Moses,  this  verse  affords  a  contrary  example,  of  a  bad 
man  punished  in  order  to  promote  God's  schemes.  See  Kop.  If, 
as  is  not  improbable,  the  passage  in  v.  15.  has  a  bearing  on  the 
case  of  the  Israelites,  who  had  been  threatened  with  excision,  in 
consequence  of  their  idolatry  and  rebellion,  (see  Exod.  XXXII. 
10.)  J  what  is  here  applied  to  Pharaoh,  may  also  have  a  reference 
to  the  Egyptians  as  a  body.  See  Macknight's  Commentary  and 
note  1.  In  either  case,  it  illustrates  the  leading  idea,  as  expressed 
in  V.  16. — E^tiyet^ct  tre'  Comp.  Exod.  IX.  16.,  where  the  Septua- 
gint  has  c-vvrti^tiivi;,.  thou  hast  been  fireserved.  The  original  is 
?l*flTOJ[^ni  to  which  either  of  the  Greek  words  is  equivalent. 
"B^tiV^'i*  «■«  is  the  more  literal  translation.  The  meaning  i«  nott 
'  I  have  brought  thee  into  being,'  but,  '  I  have  kept  thee  alive,  I 
have  caused  thee  to  continue,  although  I  could  easily  have  cut 
thee  off,  by  any  of  the  preceding  plagues,  or,  in  various  other 
ways.'  Comp.  "TlOJ/**  i"  Exod.  XXI.  21.  where  it  is  used  in  the 
same  sense  j  as  is  also  tyef?*  in  James  V.  15.— -Some  copies  of 
the  Sept.  read  ^wx/^i*^  and  others  to-j^vr. 

18.J  From  the  two  instances  just  adduced,  the  sentiment,  which 
St.  Paul  inculcates,  is  inferred. — The  use  of  tkXvj^viu  in  2  Chron* 
X.  4.  and  in  Job  XXXIX.  16.,  where  it  has  the  sense  of  treating 
harshly^  has  led  Ernesti  and  others  to  think,  that  the  meaning 
here  is,  '  according  to  his  pleasure,  he  is  benignant  to  some,  and 
to  others  severe.'  See  Kop.,  who  allows  that  the  antithesis  be- 
tween trxX.  and  tX.  favours  this  exposition,  although  he  thinks 
that  the  narrative  of  Moses,  and  the  general  signification  of  «rxA«- 
f  fv«  in  the  New  Testament,  are  stronger  in  support  of  the  usual 
meaning,  "  to  harden"  \.  e.  '  to  suffer  any  one  to  continue  obsti- 
nate.' See  Exod.  VIII.  3.  IX.  12.  X.  20.  27.  XIV.  4.  8.  17. 
Acts  XIX.  9.  Heb.  III.  8.  13.  15.  IV.  7.  and  comp.  Essay  at 
the  end  of  the  notes.' — Besides,  in  2  Chron.  X.  4.  o-KXti^vtu  is  pre- 
dicated of  the  yoke,  not  of  a  fierson,  and  therefore  does  not  mean 
to  treat  harshly,  but  to  make  o/i/iressive,  although  harsh  treat- 
ment is  no  doubt  the  idea  which  the  whole  exfiresaion,  o  vetrfi^  o-h 
tTKXtj^vvi  rev  ^vy»»  '*)M-uv^  conveys. 

19.]  T<  «Ti  fuefcperat  i  Most  interpreters  consider  ov. — o-kX. 
V.  18.  as  what  gives  rise  to  this  objection.  But  is  it  not  rather  an 
objection,  drawn  from  the  whole  doctrine,  which  St.  Paul  had 
been  endeavouring  to  establish  ?  Its  meaning  seems  to  be  this: 
*  If  God  is  governed  by  a  regard  to  his  own  schemes,  which  hu- 


Chap.  IX.]       Notes  on  the  Efiistle  to  the  Romans*  75 

man  efforts  cannot  alter,  and  if  he  makes  even  human  wicikedness 
subserve  those  schemes,  why  does  he  find  fault  with  us  ?  for  our 
rejection  of  the  Gospel  promotes  his  plans,  (comp.  III.  5.  7.% 
which  no  one  can  effectually  resist.  If  he  shews  favour  to  the 
Gentiles,  and  suffers  us  to  remain  obstinate,  as  you  intimate,  why 
does  he  blame  us,  since  such  is  his  will  ?' 

20.  21.]  The  above  objection  in  v.  19.  is  an  implied  censure 
of  God,  for  discontinuing  to  the  Jews  their  outward  privileges. 
St.  Paul  here  replies  to  it ;  and  again  in  v.  22.  The  first  part  of 
the  reply  is  of  this  nature  :  '  Admitting  that  God  takes  the  Gen- 
tiles into  his  covenant,  and  rejects  the  greater  part  of  your  nation 
has  he  not,  as  Creator,  the  right  to  appoint  his  creatures  to  what- 
ever situation  he  chooses  ?  I  would  ratlier  ask,  what  right  have 
you,  a  weak  man,  to  find  fault  with  the  Almighty,  for  exercising 
his  prerogative  ?  As  well  might  the  thing  made  complain  of  its 
maker,  for  not  having  formed  it  something  else.  God  has  plainly 
a  right  to  place  the  object,  which  his  power  has  produced,  in  any 
rank  among  his  creatures,  and  to  give  it  as  many  or  as  few  ad- 
vantages as  he  pleases.' — Since,  therefore,  the  Jews  would  have 
bad  no  reason  to  complain,  if  the  Supreme  Being  had  never 
granted  them  the  external  benefits  of  his  covenant ;  they  surely 
could  not  reasonably  object,  if,  to  promote  some  important  pur- 
poses, he  withdrew  from  them  these  benefits.  With  /tc;; — «T«f  j 
comp.  Isa.  XXIX.  16.  XLV.  9.;  and  with  v  rnc — ecrtf^iat ;  comp. 
Jer.  XVIII.  2—10.,  from  which  it  is  evident,  as  many  commen- 
tators have  remarked,  that  the  subject  in  the  mind  of  the  Apostle, 
is,  not  the  future  condition  of  individuals,  but  the  present  state  of 
communities.     See  Locke  and  Macknight. 

22.]  The  Apostle  has  given  a  general  answer  to  the  objection. 
He  now  proceeds  to  reply  more  particularly,  shewing,  that  the 
Jews  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  their  rejection,  since  God  had 
treated  them  with  the  greatest  indulgence.  The  construction  of 
this  text  is  somewhat  obscure,  on  account  of  its  being  elliptical. 
With  svS'.  T^jv  e^yt)*,  comp.  I.  18.  III.  5 — To  ^vv.  is  put  for  t>j» 
S'vvtcfAiv  i  comp.  TO  yvus-ov  in  I.  19. — Sxet;?;,  which  is  occasionally 
applied  to  persons,  (see  1  Pet.  III.  7.),  is  evidently  used  here,  iij 
order  to  preserve  consistency  with  the  figure  of  the  potter;  (comp. 
Ps.  II.  9.). — ATTuXeiecv  is  explained  by  Kop.  of  future  punishment, 
not  of  miseries  in  this  life.  He  explains  tcttr.  m  xx:  thus,  "  certe 
€t  inevitabili  fato  perituri ;"  and  illustrates  it  by  similar  phraseo- 
logy in  Jewish  writings,  quoting, «  hi  sunt  Persae  qui  praeparati  et 
parati  sunt  ad  Gehennam ;"  and,  «  Gentes  ordinatae  ad  Gehen- 
nam,  Israel  vero  ad  vitam."    No  doubt  the  spirit  of  the  passage 


76  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        [Chap.  IX. 

sanctions  this  full  meaning,  in  reference  to  the  impenitent  and  ob- 
stinate transgressor ;  but  as  St.  Paul  is  speaking  of  the  Jews  as  a 
community,  it  appears  more  probable,  that  he  has  in  view  their 
abandonment  by  God,  and  the  miseries  consequent  upon  their 
rejection.  Perhaps  the  words  are  selected  to  suit  the  figure  of  the 
potter's  vessel,  in  reference  to  which  they  might  be  rendered, 
*  fit  to  be  destroyed.* — In  connexion  with  9^e>Mv,  tit  should  be  un- 
derstood, or  .^fAiwv  be  taken  for  tiSeXn,  (comp.  VII.  13.  and  note). 
I  once  thought  it  not  improbable,  that,  agreeably  to  the  usage  in 
hebrew  parallelism,  (comp.  Mich.  I.  4.  and  Cant.  I.  5.;  also 
Matt.  VII.  6.,  where  xxretvccTtirua-t  refers  to  it  x^'S^'j  ^nd  fti^tfTi 
to  o<  x-vvci,)  e»^.  Tjjii  «jy.  might  refer  to  x«t>}^.  tit  »7r.,  and  yte*. 
T9  S'vv.  au,  to  the  next  verse ;  and  that  the  meaning  might  be  as 
follows :  '  what  if  God  choose  (literally,  be  willing,)  to  display  his 
Wrath  on  you  Jews,  who  were  fitted  for  ruin,  and  whom  he  had 
jjatiently  borne  with  so  long ;  and  choose  also  to  shew  his  power, 
his  (v.  23.)  extraordinary  kindness  (to»  wA.  rtn  S'c^,  iv.)  on  the 
Gentiles,  whom  he  had,  &c.*  But  there  are  grammatical  difficul- 
ties attending  this  construction,  which  now  appear  to  be  insuper- 
able..—Perhaps  St  h  0  ©£«5  is  to  be  connected  with  t^tyttt^  and 
^eXm  to  be  taken  for  Kcctvi^  tS-eXe^  an  ellipsis,  such  as  might  na- 
turally be  expected  in  an  epistle,  remaining  to  be  supplied  ;  thus  : 
'  But  if  God,  when  he  might  have  displayed  his  wrath,  and  shewn 
his  power,'  (or,'  when  he  might  have  displayed  his  wrath  by  shew- 
ing his  power,'  the  latter  member  being  exegetical  of  the  former ; 
comp.  Ernesti,  §  82.  note  3.  and  the  corresponding  place  in  Mo- 
rus;)  '  still  bore  with  those  men  who  were  fitted  for  destruction,* 
(or,  '  who  had  drawn  destruction  on  themselves,'  if  KecT>!^.  be  in 
the  middle ;  see  Macknight,  note  4. ;  and  if  it  be  in  the  passive,  it 
only  expresses  the  result  or  condition,  not  the  cause,)  '  will  you 
be  so  unreasonable  as  to  complain,  or  to  find  fault  on  this  account  ?* 
(N.  B.  The  last  clause  is  the  supplied  ellipsis.)^Still,  if  «  be 
allowed  to  have  the  sense  of  although,  (for  which  see  Wahl  in 
verb.  3.),  the  meaning  may  be  simply  this  :  '  But,  although  God 
had  determined'  (literally,  '  was  willing'  or  '  resolute,')  *  to  db- 
play  his  wrath,  and  to  make  known  his  power,'  (at  some  proper 
time,)  yet  *  he  bore  with  great  patience  those  who  were  fitted  for 
destruction.' 

Whatever  may  be  the  accurate,  grammatical  analysis  of  the 
verse,  the  idea  is  plainly  this :  '  The  Jews,  hardened  and  impen- 
itent, have  no  reason  to  complain,  but  rather  to  be  thankful  to 
God,  for  having  borne  with  them  so  long,  since  they  have  so  long 
been  ripe  for  punishment.' 


Chap.  IX.]       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans*  77 

23.]  Ttfv  7r>i.  TJJ5  J<»|.  uv.  <  his  extraordinary  favours.'  Comp. 
«-A.  and  5tA.  ^«|.  in  Eph.  I.  7.  18.  II.  7.  Col.  I.  27.,  and  see  on 
VIII.  18.  19. — ^Ktvti  eA.  in  opposition  to  o-KiVij  e^y.  v.  23.,  '  Gen- 
tiles, together  with  those  Jews  who  had  embraced  the  Gospel,  to 
whom  conjointly  its  mercies  were  imparted.' — U^enr.  en  Ja|. 
either,  '  predestined  for  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,'  as  Rosen., 
who  refers  to  Gen.  XXIV.  14.  and  Matt.  XXV.  34. ;  or,  '  pre- 
pared for  receiving  them,'  as  God  is  said  to  "  have  opened  the 
heart  of  Lydia,"  Acts  XVI.  14'.  Comp.  Prov.  XVI.  1.— Rosen, 
makes  this  verse,  as  well  as  the  former,  elliptical,  adding  to  both, 
UK  tjctt  elaa-tciv  j  thus :  '  And  that  he  might  make  known  his  great 
benevolence,  to  those  who  are  in  a  situation  to  receive  his  benig- 
nity, for  whom  felicity  is  certain  and  prepared,  hath  he  not  fionver 
to  do  so  ?' — There  is  certainly  an  ellipsis;  but  of  what  particular 
idea,  it  may  be  difficult  to  say.  In  XI.  11.  12.  15.  30.  the  recep- 
tion of  the  Gospel  by  the  Gentiles,  is  represented  as  having  taken 
place,  in  consequence  of  its  rejection  by  the  Jews.  See  the  notes 
there.  Is  it  improbable,  that  the  same  idea  may  have  influenced 
the  Apostle,  when  he  wrote  this  passage  ?  He  does  not  indeed 
say,  that  the  Jews  had  rejected  the  Gospel ;  because  what  he  had 
just  declared,  would  suggest  this  to  every  reflecting  reader 
Comp.  the  note  on  v.  14.  15.  If  this  be  admitted,  the  idea  which 
is  to  supply  the  ellipsis  will  be  this :  '  But  now  he  bears  with 
them  no  longer,  but  in  consequence  of  their  rejection  of  the  Gos 
pel,  he  offers  it  to  the  Gentiles,  and  thus  does  he  make  known' 
(>^  fvci  yva^iFti-  hoc  often  expresses  the  result  only,  not  the  cause ; 
see  Essay  at  the  end  of  the  notes :),  or,  '  and  that  he  may  (Ivot  re- 
taining its  usual  meaning,)  make  known*  (comp.  Eph.  III.  8.  9. 
10.)  '  the  extraordinary  blessings  of  his  Gospel  to  the  Gentiles, 
xvhom  he  hath  prepared  to  receive  them, 

24.]  Perhaps  it  may  be  useful,  (if  the  reader  will  bear  with 
the  repetition,)  to  give  a  brief  view  of  the  argument  from  the 
14th  verse  to  this,  inclusive.  '  From  what  has  been  said,  can  God 
be  charged  with  injustice  ?  Certainly  not.  But  he  acts  according 
to  his  pleasure,  (v.  15.),  as  he  says,  '  I  will  shew  favour  and  be- 
nignity to  whomsoever  I  choose.'  His  plans  are  all  directed  by 
his  own  will,  (v.  16.),  so  that  their  arrangement  does  not  at  all 
depend  upon  human  inclination  or  effort,  but  solely  on  the  divine 
wisdom,  (v.  17.)  And  to  give  an  instance  of  a  bad  man  being 
made  subservient  to  the  divine  plans,  it  is  said  of  Pharaoh,  '  for 
this  purpose  have  I  allowed  thee  to  continue,  in  order  to  display 
my  power  through  thy  obduracy,  and  thus  to  spread  my  glory  in 
the  world.'    (v.  18.)  It  is  plain  therefore,  that  God's  providence 


78  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romant.       [Chap,  IX, 

so  disposes  all  things,  as  to  advance  his  own  plans,  extending  his 
benefits  to  some,  and  suffering  others  to  continue  obdurate,  (v.  19.) 
Will  you  object,  that  since  God's  plans  cannot  be  altered  by  man's 
efforts,  no  blame  ought  to  be  found  with  your  conduct,  because  it 
subserves  those  plans?  (vv.  20.  21.)  I  reply,  first,  that  this  is 
presumptuous  and  indecent  in  so  uninformed  a  creature,  and  that 
the  Maker  of  all  things  has  unquestionably  a  right  to  dispose  of 
his  favours  as  he  pteases,  granting  to  one  portion  of  mankind  a 
greater,  and  to  others  a  less  degree  of  benefit,  (v.  22.)  And  se- 
condly, to  express  myself  plainly  in  reference  to  the  rejection  of 
unbelieving  Jews  as  God's  covenant  people,  if  God  hath  borne 
patiently  with  you,  although  you  have  merited  condemnation,  will 
you  find  fault  with  what  ought  to  excite  your  gratitude  ?  He  will 
no  longer  bear  your  obstinate  rejection  of  his  Son,  whose  Gospel 
he  offers  to  the  Gentiles,  (v.  23.)  in  order  that  its  blessings  may 
become  universally  disseminated,  (v.  24.)  and  that  both  they  and 
believing  Jews  may  participate  in  its  privileges. 

25.  26.]  Comp.  Hos.  I.  6—10.  and  II.  25.  (in  Heb.,  23.  in  the 
Sept.  and  Eng.).  The  26th  verse  agrees  with  the  latter  clause  of 
I.  10.  (in  the  Sept.,  II.  1.  in  Heb.).  The  prophet  is  speaking 
of  the  restoration  of  the  Israelites  to  divine  favour,  and  there  is  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  St.  Paul  understood  him  otherwise.  Per- 
haps he  merely  accommodates  the  text  to  his  purpose,  because  of 
the  similarity  between  the  state  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  Israelites^ 
as  contemplated  by  Hosea.  It  cannot  be  proved,  that  he  quotes 
the  passage  with  any  other  view  than  that  of  illustration. 

27,  28.]  Comp.  Isa.  X.  22.  23.  K^u^et'  declares  openly.  See 
John  I.  15. — To  KXTctXctf^fLx-  <  the  remnant.*  See  Mid  in  loc. 
Aayav  is  probably  synonymous  with  "^^T  i"  the  sense  of  thinly 
matters  trvvriXuv  suet  a-vvrefAvav^  {cfxt,  the  future  being  under- 
stood, to  correspond  with  TrotTio-ci,)  '  he  will  speedily  execute  the 
matter.'  Ev  S^ik.  '  agreeably  to  his  declarations ;'  S'tK.  being  used, 
as  the  corresponding  Hebrew  word,  for  truth.  See  Schleus.  9.— 
The  passage  agrees  in  substance,  although  not  verbally,  with 
Isaiah.  The  prophet,  speaking  of  the  deliverance  of  the  Israelites 
from  Assyrian  exile,  has  probably  in  view,  the  blessings  which 
those  true  Israelites  should  receive,  who,  from  among  the  whole 
body  of  the  Jews,  should  become  members  of  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom. There  is  no  occasion  to  resort  to  the  principle  of  accommo- 
dation here,  as  it  is  usual  with  the  prophets,  to  connect  predictions, 
which  relate  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah,  with  events  of  much 
more  speedy  accomplishment.  And  this  is  perfectly  natural,  as 
their  minds  were  greatly  elevated  by  the  consideration  of  the 


Chap.  IX.]       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  7l? 

coining  of  Christ,  and  the  benefits  which  his  advent  would  extend 
to  mankind.  See  Rosen,  and  Kop.  on  these  verses,  and  a  compari- 
son of  them  with  the  passage  of  Isaiah,  by  Velthusen,  in  Com« 
ment.  Theol.  Vol.  V.  pp.  388—396. 

29.J  Comp.  Isa.  I.  9.  Sept.  with  which  this  agrees.  The 
prophet  speaks  of  the  preservation  of  Judah  from  total  ruin,  in 
reference  to  some  very  sanguinary  attacks  of  their  enemies.  To 
what  particular  slaughter  he  refers,  il  is  difficult  to  say.  Bishop 
Lowth  inclines  to  the  opinion,  that  some  invasions  of  Judah,  made 
by  Resin  and  Pekah  '<  at  the  latter  end  of  Jotham's  reign,  are  re- 
ferred to  in  this  prophecy."  See  his  note  on  v.  7 — 9.  Rosen,  on 
V.  7.  observes,  that  "  some  consider  the  prophet's  language  as 
descriptive  of  those  miserable  times  during  the  reign  of  Ahaz, 
when  not  only  the  Israelites  under  Pekah,  but  the  Syrians  also 
from  the  north,  the  Edomites  from  the  south,  and  the  Philistines 
from  the  west,  invaded  Judea,  ruining  the  country,  seizing  the 
cities,  and  taking  thousands  captive.  See  2  Chron.  XXVIII. 
5 — 19."  He  objects  to  this  however,  on  account  of  the  order  in 
which  the  prophecies  are  digested,  and  thinks,  that  what  is  here 
said  refers  to  the  state  of  things  under  Uzziah,  after  Amaziah  had 
been  conquered  by  Joash,  king  of  Israel,  his  people  terribly 
slaughtered,  his  country  and  capital  laid  waste,  and  even  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem  in  a  great  measure  destroyed.  See  2  Kings  XIV. 
8 — 14.  2  Chron.  XXV.  14 — 24. — Whatever  the  particular  inju- 
ries may  have  been,  which  gave  rise  to  the  description  here  quoted 
by  St.  Paul,  it  cannot  be  proved,  that  the  description  has  reference 
to  nothing  else  than  tho^e  injuries.  Rosen,  on  v.  9.  denies  that  the 
Apostle  accommodates  it,  because  of  that  constant  expectation 
which  the  prophets  cherished,  that  a  seed  of  a  better  race  would 
ever  remain.  Comp.  Isa.  XVII.  6.  Ezek.  XII.  16.  "  Quare 
cum  Paulus  nostrum  lotum  ut  communem  adducit,  non  per  ac- 
commodationem,  sed  legitima  interpretatione  id  facit."  Comp. 
above  on  vv.  27.  28, — On  the  other  hand,  however,  it  certainly 
cannot  be  proved,  that  St.  Paul  means  to  apply  the  passage  agree- 
ably to  the  original  intention  of  its  authour ;  he  may  use  it,  merely 
to  illustrate.     K«C.  tt^o,  'He-.  '  as  Isaiah  formerly  said.' 

30.]  T<  av  e^anev ;  What  conclusion  shall  we  now  come  to  ? 
This  verse  and  the  two  following  shew,  what  doctrine  the  preced- 
ing discussion  is  intended  to  illustrate.  "  The  scope  of  the  writer 
is  here  ascertained  from  his  own  express  statement."  Comp.  Er- 
nesti,  §  96.  note.  Any  interpretation  therefore,  which  is  not  in 
coincidence  with  this  statement,  cannot  be  the  true  meaning  of  this 
chapter,— An  observation,  in  reference  to  this  subject,  which  Kop> 


80  Notet  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.       [Chap.  IX. 

makes  in  his  note  on  v.  6.,  is  so  judicious,  that  no  apology  will  b» 
considered  as  necessary  for  translating  it.  "  It  is  especially  worthy 
of  attention,  that  in  all  this  passage,  the  authour  does  not  treat  of 
the  eternal  salvation,  as  we  are  accustomed  to  speak,  of  individuals) 
but  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  true  religion  of  the  Jewish 
Messiah,  and  to  the  felicity  inseparably  connected  with  it.  It  is 
therefore  improper  to  apply  these  passages,  either  to  defend  or  to 
impugn  the  doctrine  of  an  absolute  decree  of  God,  respecting  the 
eternal  salvation  of  individuals."  Comp.  with  this  sentiment  the 
first  part  of  Comparative  Views. 

31.]  The  grammatical  construction  of  this  verse  is  somewhat 
obscure.    Grotius  explains  vof^g  by  way,  because  n*l*  (whence 

TT 

J^")'!]^    law,)   to   direct^    is  sometimes  rendered   iS^tiyuv.      See 

T 

Trom.  Concord,  in  this  word,  6.  But  this  reason  is  plainly  insuf- 
ficient, and  such  an  use  of  ve/Mi  is  authorized. — Rosen,  explains 
»9/M.()5  in  the  first  clause,  of  law  in  general,  or  of  the  Mosaick  law, 
and  in  the  latter,  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  No/tta?  is  doubtless 
used  of  the  Gospel  in  several  places,  but  it  is  improbable  that  it 
should  be  used  in  directly  opposite  senses  in  the  same  sentence, 
unless  some  especial  reason  occur  for  such  use.  Kop.  agrees  with 
Rosen.,  remarking  that  vefiof  as  a  part  of  the  felicity  of  the  Mes- 
siah's times,  is  put  for  the  felicity  itself.  I  do  not  know  how  the 
system  can  be  called  a  part  of  the  felicity,  which  it  is  designed  to 
promote. — Some  consider  v«fto5  as  redundant,  referring  to  VII. 
23.,  where  however  it  means  tendency.  Such  a  pleonasm  here  is 
neither  probable  nor  necessary. — Vatablus  (in  Crit.  Sac.)  consi- 
ders voji*.  S'ly,.  as  a  hebraism  for  "  justifying  law,  so  called,"  says 
he,  "  because  by  it  the  Jews  wished  to  be  pronounced  just."  The 
meaning  will  then  be ;  '  Israel,  pursuing  a  justifying  law,  have 
not  reached  such  a  law.' — Others  consicer  v«/tt.  hK.  as  a  hypal- 
lage  for  S'uc.  rttv  tx,  vofAH,  '  justification  by  the  law,  which  Kop. 
objects  to,  on  account  of  its  harshness.  However,  expressions 
somewhat  similar  are  given  by  Glassius,  (Phil.  Sac.  edit.  Dath. 
1776.  Lib.  I.  Tract.  I.  ad  fin.  p.  128.),  who  explains  the  phrase 
thus :  "  legem  justitiae,  i.  e.  justitiam  legis,"  observing,  that 
"  tliere  is  a  manifest  antithesis  between  the  righteousness  of  the 
Gospel  and  that  of  the  law,  or  of  faith  and  works."  Comp.  Wolf 
in  loc.  who  refers  to  Le  Clerc's  notes,  and  to  his  Ars  Critica,  for 
the  same  exposition,  which  is,  upon  the  whole,  preferable,  I  think, 
to  any  other. 

32.]  It  is  remarkable,  that  Macknight  renders  v«/tt»«  here  and 
in  V.  31.  indifferently  law,  and  the  law. 

33.]    Macknight  and  Kop.  both  observe,  that  St.  Paul  has  in 


Chap.  IX.]       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  81 

his  mind  two  passages  of  Isaiah,  VIII.  14.  and  XXVIII.  16.  The 
quotation  does  not  exactly  agree  either  with  the  Sept.  or  Hebrew. 
Although  the  prophet  is  speaking  of  deliverance  from  the  Assy- 
rian yoke,  yet  his  declarations  have  doubtless  a  farther  reference, 
to  the  Messiah.     Comp.  above  on  v.  27.  28.— On  x<*Tetirxvve)}irtTiitr 

the  Heb.  is  tJ^^H*  ^^ />  for  which  Hammond  thinks  the  Greek 
translators  read  ^^'2''  N?.  So  also  Grotius.  But  Rosen.,  in  his 
notes  on  Isaiah,  observes,  that  this  conjecture  is  quite  unnecessary, 
as  the  verb  ^)f^  in  Arabick  has  three  meanings,  to  hasten,  to 
Jear,  and  to  be  ashamed,  the  ideas  being  naturally  connected.  Of 
these  significations,  says  he,  the  Alexandrine  interpreters  adopt 
the  third,  so  also  St.  Paul,  and  St.  Peter  (1  Ep.  II.  7.);  the  se- 
cond is  chosen  by  the  Chaldee  and  Syriack  ;  and  many  of  the  mo- 
dern versions  favour  the  first.     He  thinks  the  second  preferable. 


CHAPTER  X. 

l.j  Eli  CUT.  '  that  they  may  be  converted  to  Christianity,  and 
enjoy  all  its  blessings.'     Comp.  XI.  26. 

2.]  Mof .  etv.  <  I  willingly  bear  testimony  in  their  favour.'  Comp. 
Luke  IV.  22.  Some  consider  ^ti^,  B:  as  a  hebraism  for  very 
great  zeal,  but  most  probably  it  means  zeal  for  God,  as  the  gene- 
tive  is  often  used.  Comp.  Ps.  LXVIII.  10.  o  ^»jA«5  m  oikh  c-»« 
meaning,  zeal  for  thy  house,  and  Gal.  II.  16.  7r<s-/{  I^c-»  Xf<r« 
for  faith  in  Jesus  Christ i 

3.]  Comp.  on  I.  17. — Their  ignorance  was  culpable^  because 
it  sprang  from  prejudice  and  criminal  character* 

5 — 11.]  Kop,  explains  the  general  idea  of  these  verses  thus: 
"  While  the  authority  of  the  Mosaick  laws  lasted,  it  was  by  a 
careful  observance  of  them  that  men  obtained  salvation ;  but  novlr, 
since  the  abrogation  of  those  laws  by  Christ,  the  sole  condition  of 
salvation  is  this,  to  believe  in  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus,  and  in  his 
resurrection  from  the  dead."  This  view  to  me  appears  to  be 
directly  at  variance  with  the  general  scope  of  the  epistle,  which  is 
intended  to  shew,  that  faith,  and  not  observance  of  laws,  has  been, 
in  all  ages,  the  principle  by  which  men  are  justified.  Comp.  IV. 
3 — 8.  J  also  Heb.  IV,  3.  where  oi  TrifivcrxvTei  means,  *  we  be- 
ll 


i2  Notes  on  the  Ejjistle  to  the  ftotnan^        [Chap.  X« 

lievers,'  i.  e.  the  whole  body  of  us,  not  those  of  this  or  that  age  in 
particular,  but  of  all  ages. 

5.]  O  Trei. — xvron.  See  Levit.  XVIII.  5.  and  other  similar 
places.  Here  life  is  promised,  i.  e.  temporal  felicity,  (comp. 
V.  26 — 30.),  on  condition  of  obedience.  But  although  a  general 
and  sincere  obedience  to  the  Mosaick  law  is  recognized  in  Leviti- 
cus and  elsewhere  as  practicable,  and  was  of  course  demanded ; 
yet  have  not  such  passages  a  farther  reference,  (as  here  applied,) 
lo  that  perfect  obedience  to  the  whole  moral  law,  which  no  fallen 
man  can  render  ?  and  in  this  view  do  they  not  intimate,  that  justi- 
fication by  the  law  is  impracticable  ? — The  sincere  obedience  of 
the  Israelite,  however  acceptable,  was  not  the  ground  of  his  justi- 
fication. 

6.  7.  8.]  'H  ^i».  My.  means,  that  such  is  the  language  of  the 
Gospel ;  it  is  a  prosopopoeia.  St.  Paul  evidently  makes  use  of 
the  declaration  of  Moses,  (Deut.  XXX.  12,),  which  he  accom- 
modates to  his  purpose,  and  so  modifies  as  to  suit  his  own  views. 
The  general  idea  is  the  same  in  both,  viz.  that  the  subject  incul- 
cated is  not  particularly  difficult.  Such  phraseology  was  used,  to 
express  the  extreme  difficulty  of  any  thing.  Comp.  Prov.  XXX. 
4.  Baruch  III,  29.  and  context.  In  both  places,  the  difficulty  of 
acquiring  wisdom  is  the  subject.  See  also  John  III.  13.  first 
clause,  aStii  av«f.  m  tov  h^xv.,  and  compare  the  preceding  con- 
text, especially  fT/ye<«  and  tTra^xYta  in  v.  12.,  from  which  it  ap- 
pears probable,  that  the  same  idea  is  there  expressed.  Moses 
means  to  tell  the  Israelites,  that  it  is  neither  impracticable,  nor  in- 
deed hard,  to  attain  a  knowledge  of  God's  laws,  and  to  obey  them ; 
St.  Paul  applies  a  part  of  what  he  says,  (altering  it  so  as  to  make 
it  suit  his  antithesis,)  to  the  subject  before  him,  the  facility  of  ex- 
ercising faith,  and  consequently  of  obtaining  justification.  As  if 
he  had  said,  *  the  system  of  the  Gospel  demands  faith,  which  is 
comparatively  easy  of  acquisition  j  it  does  not  require  from  you 
any  thing  of  vast  difficulty,  as  if  the  heaven  were  to  be  scaled,  to 
bring  down  Christ,  or  the  abyss  to  be  fathomed,  to  bring  him  up  ; 
but  it  asks  only  what  is  within  the  reach  of  every  one,  what  cannot 
be  withheld  without  obstinate  prejudice,  that  is,  a  belief  in  its 
divinity.' — In  the  same  way,  Philo  (see  Kop.)  applies  the  passage, 
to  the  practicability  of  securing  virtue. 

9.J  E*v  ojM,.  £»  rai  fo/A.  t^  Trtf.  cv  rr,  xx^.  '  if  you  openly  pro- 
fess and  sincerely  believe.*  Belief  in  Christ's  resurrection  is  men^ 
tioned,  because  it  is  one  of  the  principal  points  of  Christian  doc- 
trine, intimately  connected  with  the  truth  of  the  whole  systeni. 


Chap.  X.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  82 

Not  that  other  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  are  unessential  to  its  in- 
tegrity. 

10.]  <  Justifying  faith  must  be  sincere,  and  saving  confession 
must  be  open.' 

12.]     LviKxX.  ccv.  *  who  pray  to  him.'     Comp.  2  Tim.  II.  22. 

13.]  Comp.  Joel  III.  5.  (in  Heb.,  in  Eng.  II.  32.)  Acts  II. 
21.  <  The  true  worshipper,  of  whatever  nation,  shall  be  accepted.* 

15.]  Comp,  Isa.  LII.  7.  According  to  Rosen.,  Isaiah  is  speak- 
ing of  those  Jews,  who,  after  the  decree  of  Cyrus  in  favour  of  the 
restoration,  returned  first  to  Judea,  and  announced  the  liberation 
of  their  countrymen,  to  those  who  had  continued  in  the  land.  The 
.quotation  is  made,  he  thinks,  merely  to  illustrate.  But  as  the 
Jewish  interpreters  universally  explain  this  text  as  applying  to  the 
iimes  of  the  Messiah  (see  Kop.  in  loc),  and  as  this  subject  was 
ever  prominent  in  the  minds  of  the  prophets  (comp.  on  IX.  27. 
28.),  it  is  highly  probable,  that  the  passage  has  a  secondary  seiise, 
as  Ijere  applied  by  St.  Paul. 

16.]  AAA' — tv.  This  may  be  either  an  objection  of  a  Jew,  or 
the  authour's  acknowledgment.  If  the  former,  the  answer  is  to 
be  considered  as  implied  in  the  words  of  Isaiah  immediately  fol- 
lowing, which  are  applied  to  meet  the  objection,  although  relating 
principally  to  Jewish  unbelief.  See  LIII.  1.  If  the  latter^  the 
quotation  illustrates  its  propriety. 

17.]  This  observation  is  made,  I  conceive,  to  intimate  the  ne- 
cessity, that  the  Gentiles  should  hear  the  Gospel,  in  order  to  be- 
lieve it.  There  is  an  evident  reference  to  «x»p  in  the  former 
verse. 

18.]  Mn  UK  TiK.i  Kop.  understands  this  of  Jews  cxcMsively. 
("  Scil.  la^ectoi,  ad  quos  solos  totus  locus  periinet."^  So  also 
Storr  on  the  Historick  Sense,  §  26.  in  Opus.  Acad.  Vol.  I-  p.  84. 
and  Hammond  in  loc. — The  context  rather  appears,  I  think,  to 
shew  fhat  it  relates  to  the  Gentiles,  and  thus  Vatablus  (in  Crit. 
Sac.)  understands  it,  and  Whitby.  It  cannot  be  proved,  that  «AA« 
— fyv«,  in  V.  19.  expresses  the  same  idea.-<-E<5  Trar. — pv.  »v. 
Comp.  Ps.  XVIII.  5.  Sept.  lireit.  (XIX.  4.  Eng.  Trans.),  with  . 
Ifvhich  it  agrees  accurately.  Although  it  must  be  allowed,  that 
the  apfiarent,  and  perhaps  the  firimary  sense  of  the  psalm,  illus- 
trates God's  glory  from  the  works  of  creation ;  yet, it  is  impossible 
to  prove  that  it  has  not  a  secondary  sense,  illustrating  God's  glory 
by  the  dissemination  of  the  Gospel.  Comp.  v.  7 — 11.,  which  are 
altogether  coincident  with  this  supposition.  Also  Heb.  II.  7.  with 
P«.  VIII.  I  think  therefore,  that  Koppe's  language  is  much  too 
strong,  when  he  says,  that  "  it  is  evident  to  all,  that  the  passage 


84  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        [Chap.  X. 

is  transferred  to  a  different  subject  from  its  original,  and  merely 
accommodated," — For  the  apparent  difference  between  <p6cyyot 
(sound)  and  "^p  (line),  see  Rosen,  on  the  Psalm.  Symmachus 
has,  0  vjc'i'  the  Vulgate,  "  sonus  ;"  the  Syriack,  "  annunciatio." 
Macknight  considers  v.  14.  15.  as  an  objection  of  a  Jew,  urging 
that  such  proclamation  to  the  Gentiles  "  ought  to  have  been  made 
long  ago;"  v.  16.  the  Apostle's  reply,  that  "  it  is  not  certain,  that 
it  would  have  been  acceptable."  In  v.  17.  he  introduces  the  Jew 
again,  and  in  v.  18.  the  Apostle  asserting  that  "  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world,  God  hath  preached  to  all  men,  his  own  being, 
perfections,  and  worship,  by  the  works  of  creation."  Thus  he 
explains  Ps.  XIX.  4.  agreeably  to  its  apfiarent  meaning.  See 
him  in  loc.  and  also  in  his  View,  prefixed  to  the  chapter.  I  do 
not  see  that  his  exposition  has  much  connexion  with  the  argu- 
ment, which  is  intended  to  shew  the  propriety  of  preaching  the 
Gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  The  meaning  seems  to  be  this :  ♦  Al- 
though the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  (v.  15.)  represents  the  blessings 
of  the  Gospel  as  agreeable  to  the  Gentiles,  yet  (v.  1 6.)  it  must  be 
confessed,  that  all  have  not  received  it.  But  this  waS  to  be  ex- 
pected, and  to  the  fact,  the  words  of  Isaiah,  "  who  hath  believed 
our  declaration,"  may  be  applied.  And  indeed,  from  his  language, 
the  necessity  of  preaching  to  the  Gentiles  is  confirmed,  for  (v,  17.) 
they  cannot  believe  unless  they  hear;  and  (v.  18.)  they  have  heard, 
for  the  Gospel  has  been  preached  to  them,  as  the  Psalmist  pre- 
dicted.* 

19.]  On  this  verse,  Storr  (ubi  sup.)  observes,  that  "  the  word 
-r^uref,  which  cannot  well  be  construed  with  Mwvo-j}?,  seems  to 
be  more  correctly  referred  by  Wetstein,  to  le-f  ajjA,  in  this  man- 
ner, ftu  ax.  If.  iy.  jrj. ;  ^».  Xiy.  &c."  He  translates  the  pas- 
sage thus  :  "  did  not  the  Israelites  first  receive  the  Gospel  ?" — 
But  this  does  not  suit  the  context,  and  Tr^wre?  (put  for  ^r^oTtfa?) 
most  probably  refers  to  the  testimony  already  adduced  from  Isaiah 
and  Davi>.],  to  both  of  whom  Moses  was  prior.  See  Rosen,  and 
Kop.  in  loc.  The  meaning  appears  plainly  to  be  this :  '  Did  not 
Israel  know,  that  the  Gospel  would  be  offered  to  the  Gentiles,  and 
embraced  by  them  ?'  Surely  they  did,  (meaning,  they  might  have 
known,  they  had  sufficient  information.  Comp.  yvovrts  in  I.  21. 
and  /3Af?r(»vr£5  in  Malt.  XIII.  13,);  Moses  is  the  first  witness; 
then  Isaiah  (v.  20.  21.)  very  plainly  declares  this  truth.' — Ey« 
— uAc«5.  Comp.  Deut.  XXXII.  21.,  which  agrees  with  the  Sept. 
Kop.  remarks,  that  the  context  in  Deut.  threatens  the  Israelites 
with  slaughter  by  the  Philistines,  if  they  should  neglect  God's 
law,  although  he  allows  that  the  quotation  may  well  be  accom- 


Chap.  X.]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  RomanL  85 

modated  to  any  time,  and  to  any  people  favoured  by  the  divine 
blessing.  I  see  no  evidence,  that  Moses  refers  particularly  to  the 
Philistines. — Rosen,  observes,  that  St.  Paul  does  not  cite  the  pas- 
sage as  a  prophecy  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  but  merely  to 
ihevfi  that  it  had  been  long  ago  predicted,  that  the  Israelites  were 
not  the  chosen  people  of  God,  in  such  a  sense  as  to  exclude  other 
nations  also  from  receiving  his  benefits.  Still  it  seems  highly 
probable,  from  the  severity  of  the  punishment  immediately  after- 
wards denounced,  that  the  prophecy  has  in  view  the  rejection  of 
the  Israelites,  and  the  admission  of  the  Gentiles  to  be  God's 
covenant  people.     Comp.  v.  43. 

20.  21.]  See  Isa.  LXV.  1.2.  Sept.,  with  which  it  agrees,  with 
the  exception  of  a  transposition  of  a  few  of  the  words,  and  of  the 
clauses  in  the  first  verse.  nf»j  may  mean  to,  or  against,  or  co7t- 
cerning.  On  the  application  of  the  verses,  see  R.  Moses  Hac- 
cohen  in  Whitby  in  loc.  or  in  Rosen,  on  Isa.  v.  1 . 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Having  shewn,  why  the  Jews  in  general  were  excluded  from 
the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  St.  Paul  now  proceeds  to  console 
those  of  his  nation  who  had  embraced  the  faith  of  Christ,  under 
the  affliction,  which  a  consideration  of  the  lamentable  state  of  their 
countrymen  must  have  produced  ;  and  to  discourage,  in  the  Gentile 
converts,  any  disposition  to  inordinate  self-complacency,  and  any 
tendency  to  treat  the  Jews  with  contempt.  He  states,  that  in  fact 
many  Jews  had  become  converts  to  Christianity  ;  that  the  unbelief 
of  those  who  remained  obstinately  prejudiced  against  the  truth, 
was  made  illustrative  of  God's  wisdom  and  kindness  to  the  Gen- 
tiles ;  and  lastly,  that  the  time  should  come,  when  the  Jewish 
nation  would  acknowledge  Jesus  as  the  true  Messiah,  and  receive 
his  Gospel. 

1.]  The  rejection  here  denied  is,  an  absolute  and  perpetual 
abandonment  of  the  whole  Jewish  people. 

2.]  U^i^eyvw  See  VIII.  29.  and  note.  E»  UXitf.-  «  in  that 
part  of  the  book  of  Kings,  which  treats  of  the  actions  of  Elias," 
says  Kop.,  who  refers  to  bvi  tth  (iurn,  Mark  XII.  26.,  which  he 
renders,  «  in  the  place  of  the  burning  bush,"  remarking  that  we 
use  similar  phraseology,  when  we  speak  of  Suetonius  in  JVcro, 


86  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  tlie  Romans.      [Chap.  XI. 

meaning,  in  the  life  of  JVero.  Michaelis  mentions  this  Jewish 
method  of  quotation,  (Introduction  to  the  New  Testament,  Vol.  I. 
Parti.  Chap.  IV.  Sect.  V.  pp.  133.  134.  edit.  1823.),  in  order 
to  solve  the  difficulty  in  Mark  II.  26.  But  it  may  readily  be  re- 
moved in  another  way.  See  Mid.  in  loc. — Mark  XII.  26.  may 
be  easily  explained  thus,  "  how  God  said  to  him  at  the  bush  ;" 
although  Kuin.  thinks  this  construction  harsh,  and  agrees  with 
Kop.  here.  Ammon  remarks,  that  the  Syriack  has,  "  de  Elia," 
and  he  explains  the  passage  thus:  '  what  the  Scripture  teaches 
us,  by  the  example  of  Elias.' 

3.  4.]  Comp.  1  Kings  XIX.  10.,  or  14.  in  the  Sept.,  with 
which  it  agrees  nearly;  and  XIX.  18. 

5.1  K«t'  ikX.  x"-^-  Comp.  IX.  11.  It  is  equivalent  to  k«t« 
Tijy  tv^ox,t»¥  rn  StXviiJLXToi  tcvm  in  Eph.  I.  5. 

6.]  The  latter  part  of  this  verse  is  omitted  by  G lies.  See  also 
Kop.  It  is  probable,  that  the  words  were  originally  a  gloss.  The 
verse  should  be  included  in  a  parenthesis,  as  it  is  not  connected 
with  the  general  train  of  thought  expressed  in  the  context,  but 
only  with  the  immediately  preceding  words  kxt'  e».  x'*i- 

7.3  ExAeyj).  That  portion  of  Jews  who  had  embraced  the  Gosr 
pel;  they  to  whom  God  had  been  benignant.  Comp.  IX.  14.  15. 
16.  and  note  on  VIII.  34. — 'EvM^udritrxr  literally,  '  have  become 
blinded  ;'  figuratively,  '  have  become  stupid  and  insensible.'  See 
Schleus.  2.  3. 

8.  9.  10.]  Comp.  Isa.  XXIX.  10.  VI.  10.  Ps.  LXVIII.  (in 
Sept.,  LXIX.  in  Heb.  and  Eng.)  23.  24.  It  is  not  to  be  inferred 
from  these  quotations,  that  Isaiah  and  David  had  both  in  view,  the 
Jews  who  would  reject  the  Messiah.  St.  Paul  merely  quotes  the 
passages  to  shew,  that  it  was  undeniable,  from  the  Jewish  Scrip- 
lures,  that  persons  were  thus  subjected  to  God's  judicial  judg- 
ments. That  such  judgment  was  predicable  of  the  unbelieving 
Jews,  he  had  just  asserted  ;  0/  ^t  Xoi.  tvu. 

11.  12.]  The  general  meaning  is  this:  '  Although  the  Jews 
have,  for  a  time,  been  permitted  to  refuse  the  Gospel,  yet  it  is,  by 
no  means,  to  be  supposed,  that  this  is  intended  to  effect  their  irre- 
vocable rejection,  and  utter  ruin  ;  it  is,  that  the  Gentiles  may  the 
more  readily  be  induced  to  receive  the  Gospel :'  or,  '  their  tem- 
porary rejection  has  been  followed  by  this  consequence  :'  and  '  it 
is  to  excite  the  Jews  («t;T»?)  to  emulate  their  example,  by  em- 
bracing the  same  faith.  But,  were  this  to  be  the  result,  how  vast 
would  be  the  benefit  to  mankind,  since  their  incredulity  proves  so 
beneficial.*  If  divine  wisdom  causes  even  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews 
to  advance  his  plans,  by  extending  Christianity,  much  rather  wili 


Chap.  XI.]       Tfotes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  Zf 

the  same  wisdom  make  their  submission  to  the  faith  of  the  Gospel, 
illustrate  its  truth,  and  promote  the  best  interests  of  mankind, 
"  The  unbelief  of  the  Jews,"  says  Grot,  in  loc,  "  benefits  the 
Gentiles  in  two  ways :  first,  because  it  is  thus  made  evident,  that 
God  does  the  Jews  no  injustice,  in  calling  the  Gentiles  to  those 
benefits  which  they  had  rejected,  (comp.  Matt.  XXIV.  14.);  and 
secondly,  because,  if  the  greatest  part  of  the  Jews  had  believed  in 
Christ,  they  would  have  opposed  the  admission  of  the  Gentiles 
into  the  church,  unless  they  submitted  to  circumcision  and  the 
Mosaick  law,  as  is  plain  from  Acts  XV.  1.  XXI.  20.  But  since 
they  were  much  the  smaller  body,  they  were  not  able  to  give  laws 
to  the  others.  Thus  has  God,  by  a  wisdom  truly  admirable, 
brought  light  out  of  darkness." — In  v.  12.  the  apodosis,  ttoto) — 
«t/T«v,  corresponds  with  the  protasis,  r«  '^ttjjw* — tSmv,  not  with 
TO  7ra^ctvTaif*,» — xoo-f^a,  which  would  require  ^reo**  /k.*AAaw  'it  «y«ir- 
T*(ni  xvTuv,  or  something  equivalent.  See  Kop.  'Htt.  means, 
e'liher.)  Jewnessj  as  opposed  to  TrXij^M/^ci,  multitude^  the  whole  body, 
(comp,  V.  25.),  and  then  the  meaning  will  be,  *  if  the  paucity  of 
Jewish  converts  (the  fact,  that  but  few  Jews  have  embraced  the 
Gospel,)  promote  the  advantage  of  the  Gentiles,  how  much  rather 
shall  the  conversion  of  the  whole  nation ;'  or  Vr.  may  mean, 
worse  condition  (comp.  1  Cor.  VI.  7.  and  'tirref  1  Cor.  XI.  17. 
See  also  Isa.  XXXI.  8.),  and  tta^.  the  fulness  of  benefit^  synony- 
mous with  5rA«T«{  and  o-urri^ix,  (comp.  XV.  29.),  and  then  the 
Apostle's  idea  may  be  expressed  thus  j  '  if  the  present  unhappy 
condition  of  the  Jews  has  produced  the  readier  acceptance  of  the 
Gospel  by  the  Gentiles,  how  much  more  beneficial,  is  it  to  be 
presumed,  will  be  their  submission  to  the  faith,  which  will  put 
them  in  possession  of  all  its  benefits  1' 

13.]     Comp.  Acts  IX.  15.  XXVI.  17.  18.  Gal.  II.  7. 

14.]  Ms  T^w  trx^icXj  my  countrymen,  closely  allied  to  me.  It 
is  used  to  express  nearness  of  kindred,  or  affection.  Comp.  Gen. 
XXXVII.  27.  e-a^l  'vftMv  tfi,  and  XXIX.  14.,  and  see  Kop.  qn 
Gal.  Excursus  IX.  p.  140.  edit,  alter.  1791. 

15.]  The  phrase  r.aTx>^xTs-eiD  koti^ov  is  peculiar  to  St.  Paul; 
but  occasionally  there  are  added  explanatory  adjuncts.  See  2  Cor. 
V.  19.,  where  it  is  explained  by  (*->! — ccvrm,  "  not  imputing"  or 
reckoning  "  to  them  their  offences." — Z«jj  tx,  vck.  » the  height  of 
felicity.'     Comp.  ^uv  in  Luke  Xllr  15. 

16.]  Aw,  is  the  first  fruits,  which  were  required,  by  the  law,  to 
be  offered  to  God.  It  is  applied  to  express  the  first  offering  of 
the  green  ears  (see  Levit.  II.  12 — 14  ),  or  that  of  the  dough  first 
made  into  bread.    See  Num.  XV.  17—21.     Some,  who  hav« 


88  Notes  on  the  Ejnstle  to  the  Romans.       [Chap.  XI. 

supposed  the  former  to  be  here  referred  to,  explain  ^v^.  by  the 
rest  of  the  grain,  which  it  was  lawful  to  eat,  after  the  first  fruits 
had  been  presented.  But  this  use  of  (pv^.  can  hardly  be  justified. 
The  word  occurs  only  four  times  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  five 
in  the  New,  including  the  place  under  examination ',  and  in  every 
instance,  (except  above  IX.  21 ,  where  it  is  used  for  potter's  clay,) 
it  means,  either,  a  kneading  trough,  or,  a  mass  of  kneaded  dough. 
See  Exod.VIII.  3.  XII.  34.  Num.  XV.  20.  21.  1  Cor.  V.  6.  7, 
Gal.  V.  9.  It  is  preferable  therefore  to  consider  utt.  here,  in  its 
literal,  or  proper  sense,  as  referring  to  the  cake,  which  was  made 
of  the  first  mass  of  dough,  (see  Num.  as  above,)  and  offered  to 
God  as  first  fruits ;  and  <pv^.  to  the  whole  mass,  out  of  which  the 
cake  was  made ;  thus  :  '  since  the  offered  cake  is  holy,  so  is  also 
the  whole  mass ;'  meaning,  that  God  could,  if  he  chose,  have  ap- 
propriated to  himself  any  other  portion  of  the  productions  of  the 
ground,  or  the  whole ;  there  was  no  peculiar  excellency  in  that 
which  was  required.  In  the  tropical  sense,  sonre  understand  by 
UTT  the  pious  ancestors  of  the  Jews,  considering  it  as  synonymous 
with  pt^Xy  and  the  two  members  of  the  verse  as  parallel  in  senti- 
ment ;  thus :  '  if  the  patriarchs  were  dedicated  to  God,  so,  in  a 
certain  sense,  are  all  their  posterity.'  Others  suppose  it  to  mean, 
the  first  converts,  (comp.  VIII.  23.  XVI.  5.  1  Cor.  XV.  20.), 
who  were  Jews.  So  Schoettgen  and  Ammon  :  and  thus  far  this 
exposition  is  not  improbable  ;  but  /5<^«  in  the  next  member  cannot 
mean,  as  they  intimate,  the  same  body,  called  figuratively  the  root 
whence  Christians  sprang  ;  for  some  of  its  branches  are  afterwards 
spoken  of  as  having  been  cut  off,  which  can  mean  nothing  else 
than  the  excision  of  a  part  of  the  Jews. — 'Ti^a'  not  the  root  (says 
Kop.),  but  rather  the  trunks  from  which  the  branches  grow,  re- 
ferring to  Matt.  III.  ICF.  1  Mac.  I.  10.  and  pii^u^x  Ps.  LI.  7. 
(Heb.  LIT.)  Better  evidence,  I  think,  is  below,  v.  18.,  although 
even  there,  the  usual  sense  of  root  may  be  defended.  The  figure 
is  very  common  among  the  Hebrews.  See  Isa.  XI.  1.  10.  Dan. 
XI.  7.  Apoc.  XXII.  16.  The  meaning  is  plain ;  '  as  the  founders 
of  the  Jewish  nation  were  holy  in  the  view  of  God,  and  con- 
secrated to  him,  so  also  are  their  descendants.     See  Schleus.  in 

17.]  On  the  latter  of  the  two  similitudes  in  v.  16.  the  Apostle 
enlarges.  However  cautious  he  is  not  to  offend  the  Jews,  (see 
X.  2.),  he  does  not  hesitate  to  represent  the  Gentiles  by  a  figure, 
which  might  be  considered  as  harsh ;  for  the  unprofitableness  ot 
the  wild  olive  had  grown  into  a  proverb.  See  Schoett.  in  loc  aw'. 
Schleus.  in  verb. 


Chap.  XI."J       Notes  on  the  Efiistle  to  the  Rommis.  B9 

24.]  UoFO)  fjcotx.  how  much  more  reasonable  is  the  expecta- 
tion.    Comp.  V.  12.  and  ■ttoX'Ku  (jlaX.  V.  15.  17. 

25.]  "  The  Apostle  now  adds,"  says  Kop.,  "  on  the  authority 
of  God,  by  whom  he  had  been  instructed,  that  what  he  had  repre- 
sented as  p.ossible  and  firobable^  was  in  truth  certainly  to  take 
place."  Mfs".  does  not  mean  any  thing  necessarily  obscui'e  in  it- 
self, but  something  which  was  before  unknown.  Comp.  Eph.  I. 
9.  10.  Col.  I.  26.  27.  and  see  Campbell's  Translation  of  the  Gos- 
pels, Dissertation  IX.  Parti. — A;^^^*? — e'o-.  '  until  the  whole  body 
of  the  Gentiles  become  converted.'  Comp.  Ps.  XXII.  27.  28, 
Zech.  XIV.  9.  Apoc.  XV.  4. — Kop.  completes  the  ellipsis  after 
«!«-.  by  adding,  £<«  -fjjv  iBcca-iXuctv  ©ty. 

26.]  n«5  To-.  '  the  whole  nation  at  that  time  subsisting.'  Such 
expressions  are  often  used  in  this  popular  sense.  S<y5.  *  shall  be 
converted  to  the  Gospel  (comp.  X.  1.),  and  partake  of  its  bless- 
ings.' On  the  promise  here  made,  see  Whitby's  Appendix  to  this 
chapter,  at  the  end  of  his  notes  on  the  epistle. — 'H^et — IxkuS. 
See  Isa.  LIX.  20.  Sept.,  which  agrees  with  the  quotation,  except 
that  ifsnev  is  read  instead  of  ea.  Kop.  thinks  that  probably  this 
was  the  original  reading  here,  and  that  EK,  a  contraction  of 
tvEKev,  was  changed  into  ex.  through  a  misunderstanding  of  some 
transcriber.  The  Hebrew  is  ?W  7  '°  Zion,  It  is  the  conjecture 
of  Vitringa  (see  Rosen,  on  Isa.),  that,  together  with  this  passage, 
St.  Paul  connected  in  his  mind,  Ps.  XIII.  (Heb,*  and  Eng.  XIV.) 
7.  Tig  S'axrei  ex.  S<«v  To  tfurti^tov  m  liT^xvjX  j  It  does  not  appear  to 
me  to  be  at  all  improbable,  that  in  quoting  the  prediction  of  Isaiah, 
St.  Paul  modifies  the  language,  so  as  to  suit  his  own  discussion.^ 
(Comp.  X.  6.  7.)  The  sense  he  does  not  change.  The  Hebrew 
prophet  speaks  of  the  Redeemer  as  coming  to  Zion.  This  was 
perfectly  natural,  as  Zion  was  the  centre  of  national  glory.  The 
Christian  Apostle,  not  denying  that  the  Redeemer  had  come  to 
Zion,  speaks  of  his  marching,  as  it  were,  triumphantly  out  of 
Zion,  and  subduing  all  opposition.  Thus  the  passage,  as  applied 
in  the  epistle,  will  be  understood  figuratively,  and  be  equivalent  to 
Isa.  II.  3.  latter  clause. — K«< — l»y.a^.  And  wilt  remove  iniquity 
from  Jacob.  The  literal  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  is  given  in  the 
English  translation,  «  unto  them  that  turn  from  transgression  in 
Jacob."  Grot  thinks  it  evident  (see  his  note  on  Rom.),  that  the 
Greek  translator  used  a  Hebrew  copy,  with  a  different  reading 
from  the  present.  But  this  supposition  is,  by  no  means,  neces- 
sary, as  the  Sept.  expresses  the  meaning  of  the  Hebrew,  although 
not  by  a  literal  version.  «  For  when  the  prophecy  declares,'' 
(says  Vitringa,  ubi  sup.),  «  that  the  Messiah  would  come  to  Zion, 

12 


90  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.        [Chap.  XI. 

meaning,  for  its  benefit,  and  to  them  that  turn  away  from  trans- 
gression in  Jacob,  it  expresses  the  object  for  which  he  would 
come,  to  convert  the  posterity  of  Jacob  from  sin.  So  the  Chal- 
dee :  '  to  convert  rebels,  the  house  of  Jacob,  to  the  law.'  And 
Kimchi  adds,  '  because  then,  all  the  Israelites  shall  be  thoroughly 
converted."  Symmachus  agrees  with  the  Hebrew:  t*/?  «5r«<r. 
T^e-^xTiv  xe-iQeixv  cv  IxkuS.  So  also  Aquila,  except  that  he  omits 
acreSiixy^  according  to  Drusius  from  Procopius  in  Crit.  Sac.  Tom. 
IV.  p.'678.  But  in  Montfaucon's  "  Hexaplorum  Originis  quae 
supersunt,"  Tom.  IL  p.  184.,  instead  of  xTiQeixv,  Aquila  has 
atha-ixv.  Perhaps  the  omission  of  this  word  in  Crit.  Sac.  is  acci- 
dental ;  for  the  Latin  translation,  which  accompanies  the  passage 
there,  is,  "  et  iis  qui  aversati  fuerint  firxvaricationem  in  Jacob." 

27.J  Isa.  LIX.  21.  The  whole  passage  is  not  quoted,  but  left 
to  be  supplied  by  the  reader.  See  note  on  VII.  7.  ad  fin.  'Ot«» 
— avTwv  is  added  by  the  Apostle  from  Isa.  XXVIII.  9.,  because 
adapted  to  his  purpose, 

28.]  '  As  it  respects  the  Gospel,  they  are  its  enemies,  or  God's 
enemies,  which  results  in  your  benefit  (see  v.  11.);  but  as  it  re- 
spects the  free  choice  of  the  Almighty  (see  IX.  11.),  whereby 
they  were  originally  made  his  peculiar  people,  they  are  still  re- 
garded by  him  with  affection,  for  their  fathers'  sake.* 

29  ]  '  That  benefit,  whereby  the  Israelites  were  constituted 
God's  peculiar  people,  is  not  to  be  entirely  taken  away ;  his  deter- 
mination to  preserve  them  as  his  own  is  irrevocable.'  Comp. 
Levit.  XXVI.  44.  45.  Jer.  XXX.  11.— It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
remark,  that  this  text  has  no  bearing  on  the  doctrine  of  the  inde- 
fectibility  of  grace.  The  state  of  the  Jewish  people  is  a  lucid 
comment  on  its  meaning. 

30.  31.]  Nvv — X7F,  '  but  now  have  had  favour  shewn  you  in 
consequence  of  their  unbelief;'  not  meaning  to  say,  that  Jewish 
unbelief  was  the  original  cause  of  this  benefit  to  the  Gentiles,  but 
only  that  it  gave  rise  to  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  to  them.— 
T&>  liMT. — (Xi»6.  '  so  that  they  also,  through  the  favour  which  has 
been  shewn  to  you,  may  have  the  same  favour ;'  connecting  ru 
if*,.  tX.  with  the  following  clause,  and  not  with  the  preceding,  as 
some  do. — It  is  remarkable,  that  the  Apostle  does  not  sayf 
*  through  your  obedience^  which  his  antithesis  may  seem  to  re- 
quire ;  but  '  through  your  favour^  or  mercy.  Perhaps  his  object 
was,  not  to  raise  the  Gentiles  too  much  in  their  own  estimation ; 
and  also  to  remind  them,  that  they  were  indebted  to  God's  mercy, 
for  the  benefits  of  the  Gospel. 

32.]    Macknight  translates  c-i/y.— «iT«tf.  «  God  hath  shut  up 


Chap.  XL]        Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  ^ 

together  all,  (under  aentence  of  death,)  for  disobedience."  To 
prove,  that  e /j  (cvei$.  does  not  mean,  in  unbelief,  but  for  disobe- 
dience, he  refers  to  the  use  of  e<«  in  Mark  I.  4.  1  Cor.  XVI.  I. 
2  Thess.  I.  11.  But,  although  the  English  word /or  expresses 
the  sense  of  eti  in  these  places  ;  yet  the  idea  which  it  conveys  is 
plainly  different  frona  that,  which  Macknight  intends  to  express  in 
this  verse.  He  must  mean,  in  consequence  of;  whereas  in  the 
places  referred  to,  it  means,  either,  in  order  to  procure^  or,  f<xr 
the  benefit  q/)  or  something  of  this  nature.  The  references  are 
therefore  not  parallel.  The  true  sense  may  be  illustrated  by  Gal. 
III.  22.,  where  u-tto  u/nct^Tixv  occurs  instead  of  /<?  ei'r£i6.  and  'jj 
•yfx(pit  for  0  $-iog.  To  shut  up  one  thing  under  another,  or  to  an- 
other, is  to  subject  it  to  the  controul  of  that  other;  and  the  literal 
sense  of  the  declaration  is,  '  God  hath  subjected  all  men  to  un- 
belief;' or,  '  the  Scripture  hath  subjected  all  men  to  ain,*  mean- 
ing, that  it  declares  (or,  that  God,  in  Scripture,  declares)  this  to 
be  their  state.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  usual  phraseology.  Comp. 
2  Cor.  III.  6.  TO  y^.  ccTTOK. 'lv«— fA.  meaning,  of  course,  col- 
lectively, and  in  his  own  proper  time. 

33,]  Avi^i^.  It  appears  not  improbable,  that  St.  Paul  has  in 
his  mind,  the  idea  of  a  vessel,  which  leaves  on  the  great  deep 
(comp.  /Sottas,)  no  trace,  whereby  its  course  can  be  pursued. 
Comp.  Ps.  LXXVL  20.  sv  t>)  6»)i*<r(rri  'tj  0JI95  s-a^  xxf  rx  ijf^t)} 
e-a  a  yvue'Stio-ovTxi. 

34.  35.]  Comp.  Isa.  XL.  13.  14,  Wisdom  IX.  17.  Ecclus. 
XVIII.  4.  5.  The  sentiment  is  well  expressed  by  Koppe.  "  The 
schemes  of  Divine  Providence  cannot  be  penetrated  by  human  ge- 
nius, nor  assisted  by  human  counsel,  nor  turned  out  of  their  course 
by  any  dignity  of  man." 

36.]  Perhaps  thus :  '  all  things  are  derived  from  him,  subsist 
by  him,  and  tend  to  him,'  i.  e.  to  his  glory. 


CHAPTER  XIL 

Now  follows  the  hortatory  part  of  the  epistle.  See  Introduc- 
tion, p.  12. 

1.]  OiK.  the  plural  is  merely  hebraistick,  not  necessarily  em- 
phatick.  Comp.  Ernesti,  §  169. — n«f«r.  is  used  to  express  the 
offering  of  sacrifices. 


g2  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romune.       [Chap,  XII. 

2.]  E<?  TO  S'cK.  »  so  as  to  approve.*  See  Macknight,  and  comp, 
1  Cor.  XVI.  3,  and  Schleus.  in  verb.  4.,  although  he  gives  it 
here  the  sense  of  examining.     See  2. 

3.]  4)f .  en  TO  <ru(p.  to  think  (of  oneself)  so  as  to  be  modest ; 
the  same  as  <ru(p^ovu<i  <p^oven.  The  paronomasia,  in  which  St. 
Paul,  in  common  with  the  Hebrew  writers,  frequently  indulges, 
•is  here  very  striking.  Tltfiai  does  not  signify  Christian  faith 
merely,  but  some  divinely  communicated  ability,  susceptible  of 
various  application. 

5.]  'O  S'e  nxB'  ui.  Comp.  o  x.x6'  «<«  in  3  Mace.  V.  34.  and 
£/?  Kec6^  iti  in  Mark  XIV.  19.  John  VIII.  9.  and  «v«  in  in  Apoc 
XXI.  21. 

6.]  K«T«  T>)v  etv»x.  Tjjs  vif.  not,  '  according  to  the  analogy  of 
faith,'  in  the  theological  sense ;  but,  *  according  to  the  measure  of 
the  gift  of  faith,  which  may  be  imparted  to  each ;'  «vaA.  being 
synonymous  with  /*tr^»v.  See  Camp.  Diss.  IV.  §  13.;  Ernesti, 
§34.;  Morus,  Part  I.  Sect.  I.  xix.  p.  70.  71.,  and  Sect.  II.  Cap, 
III.  §  xvi.  xvii.  xviii,  p.  253 — 259.;  also  Locke,  note  (n). 

8.3  Many  commentators  consider  0  f^irccMm  and  «  cXeuv  as 
relating  to  church  officers.  The  spirit  of  the  precept  undoubt- 
edly applies  to  private  Christians,  although  it  is  not  improbable, 
that  church  officers  may  be  particularly  referred  to.  'A?rMr})rt 
may  be  rendered,  sincerity,  if  it  express  the  duty  of  the  latter,  or, 
liberality,  if  it  refer  to  the  former.  For  an  instance  of  the  use  of 
the  word,  in  each  of  these  senses,  see  2  Cor.  I.  12.  VIII.  2. 

1 1.]  'LvaS't)  may  signify,  attention,  diligence,  and  the  meaning 
of  the  clause  be  this  :  '  not  negligent  in  giving  attention  to  duty ;' 
or,  it  may  mean,  duty  itself,  and  more  particularly  religious  duty. 
Kop.  translates  it,  "  be  zealous." — T&)  ttv.  ^.  Comp.  Acts  XVIII. 
25.,  where  the  same  words  are  rendered  in  our  translation,  "  fer* 
vent  in  the  spirit ;"  and  in  Cranmei-'s  Bible,  the  article  is  used  in 
both  places.  It  is  uncertain  whether  the  Holy  Spirit  is  meant,  or 
the  mind.  If  the  latter,  the  sentiment  will  be  the  same  as  that 
expressed  in  the  preceding  clause  ;  if  the  former,  it  will  suggest 
the  source  of  Christian  ardour. — It  is  doubtful,  whether  xcnfo)  or 
Kv^toi  be  the  better  reading.  If  tcv^to)  be  preferred,  the  meaning 
is  plain,  and  the  sense  of  the  whole  verse  may  be  well  expressed 
in  these  words :  "  dedicate  all  your  powers  to  the  religion  of 
Christ."  Thus  Kop.,  who  observes,  that  it  is  one  sentiment  ex- 
pressed in  a  threefold  manner.  If  x,*i§ui  be  the  true  reading,  the 
idea  will  be  this :  '  yielding  to  the  times,'  i.  e.  '  sustaining  those 
evils  which  the  present  unhappy  times  produce  ;*  or,  '  availing 
yourselves  of  every  opportunity,'  either  to  improve  yourselves,  or 


Chap.  XII.j       Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  93 

to  do  good  to  others.  Cranmer's  Bible  has,  "  apply  yourselves  to 
the  time ;"  and  "  time"  is  the  marginal  reading  in  the  Geneva 
translation,  and  the  textuary  in  Luther's.  Similar  language  occurs 
in  Eph.V.  16.  Col.  IV.  5. 

16,]  Mjj — a-vf/.ci7r.  'do  not  through  pride  withdraw  yourselves 
from  intercourse  with  your  afflicted  brethren,  but  willingly  asso- 
ciate with  them,  and  bear  their  distresses.'  See  Kop.  and  Schleus. 
in  (rvHct,vix.yu  2.  and  Park  I. 

17.]  See  Prov.  III.  4.,  where  jr^evay  jukAos  evuTnov  Kv^m  Kxt 
ct)i9^a7rm  occurs,  in  the  sense  (says  Kop.)  of  conciliating  the  fa- 
vour of  God  and  men.  He  would  also  give  the  same  meaning  to 
the  word  here,  and  in  2  Cor.  VIII.  21.  But  although  this  is  the 
sense  of  the  Hebrew  in  Prov.,  I  do  not  see  why  the  Greek  there 
may  not  be  rendered,  '  and  carefully  provide,'  or  '  aim  at,'  or 

*  endeavour  to  do  what  is  right  before  God  and  men.'  .  This,  I 
see,  is  the  signification  which  is  given  by  Schleus.  Thes,  Vet. 
Test,  in  verb.  "  Cura  quae  bona  sunt,  8cc."  Comp.  him  in  Nov, 
Test,  in  verb.  3. — Macknight  observes,   that  "  tc^ovoicc  signifies 

*  forethought,  accompanied  with  care,  in  accomplishing  any  ob- 
ject." Note  2.  on  XIII.  14.  Wahl,  2.  agrees  with  Kop.  "  Ope- 
ram  dare  rebus  quae  placent,  et  gratiam  conciliant." 

19.]  AoTi  TOTS-,  rri  o^,  either,  '  yield  to  the  anger  (of  God);' 
or,  *  avoid  anger.'  AtS'ovxi  tottov  occurs  in  Luke  XIV.  19.  Eph. 
IV.  27. — E^e«  ex-S".  is  a  literal  version  of  the  Heb.  in  Deut.  XXXII. 
35.;  «vr.  is  in  the  Sept. 

20.]  This  is  a  quotation  from  Prov.  XXV.  21.  22.,  agreeing 
with  the  Sept.,  except  that  «»  and  a-v^ej  are  added.  Macknight 
explains  the  latter  clause  thus:."  by  so  doing,  thou  wilt  soften 
him,  and  make  him  lay  down  the  enmity  which  he  bears  to  thee." 
The  next  verse  appears  to  sanction  this  exposition  ;  but  it  cannot 
have  any  weight  against  the  usage  of  language,  and  it  is,  no  doubt, 
intended  to  coincide  with  the  first  part  of  this  verse.  That  "  a  coal 
of  fire  is  used  in  a  good  sense,  2  Sam.  XIV.  7."  is  certainly  no  proof 
that  the  phrase,  to  heap  coals  on  the  head  of  any  one,  may  also  be 
taken  in  a  good  sense.  It  evidently  means,  to  subject  one  to  the 
severest  punishment.  The  additional  words  in  Prov.  "  and  the 
Lord  shall  reward  thee"  being  antithetick  to  the  preceding  clause, 
is  a  farther  objection  to  Macknight's  view.  See  Whitby  and  Kop. 
in  loc.  As  to  the  objection,  that,  according  to  the  apparent  mean- 
ing, the  Apostle  seems  to  sanction  the  principle  of  revenge ;  it 
may  be  said,  that  the  persevering  wickedness  and  impenitence  of 
the  party  are  to  be  presumed  ;  (so  Locke  in  his  paraphrase,  "  if 
tje  persbts  in  his  enmity ;")  that  St.  Paul  merely  states  in  what 


94  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  XII. 

this  conduct  of  both  parties  will  result,  without  intimating  that 
the  injured  will  thereby  be  gratified.  Besides,  whatever,  on  this 
point,  can  be  fairly  drawn  from  this  text,  can  certainly  be  drawn, 
with  equal  fairness,  from  the  former  verse,  and  from  many  other 
passages.  See  Ps.  XCIV.  1  et  seq.  Prov.  XX.  22.  2  Tim.  IV. 
14.  and  others  of  the  same  kind. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

1  et  seq.]  The  tendency  of  the  Jews  to  rebellion  illustrates 
the  propriety  of  these  precepts,  which  were  also  calculated  to 
shew  unconverted  Roman  citizens,  that  the  nature  of  Christianity 
had  nothing  in  it,  hostile  to  civil  government. — On  this  verse,  see 
Locke's  notes.  Macknight  renders  uve  under,  and  refers  to  Luke 
VII.  8.,  where  the  accusative  is  used ;  and  this,  (I  think,)  is  inva- 
riably the  case  in  the  New  Testament,  when  vtto  means  under. 
None  of  the  writers  in  the  Crit.  Sac.  give  this  sense.  The  common 
translation  by  expresses  the  meaning,  which  is  illustrated  by  the 
very  next  clause.     A  legitimate  authority  is,  of  course,  intended. 

7.J  *<»f «5  means  tax  or  tribute  (Luke  XX.  22.) ;  TtA«{,  cus' 
torn  or  duties,  t^jv  Cttc^  t»j5  (i4.fro^ix<;  a-vyreXctecVj  (see  Schleus.  in 
verb.  9.);  xjjvo-sj,  Matt.  XXII.  17.,  properly /^o/^/aar ;  ^afoj,  re- 
-verence  to  superiours ;  ti/^ti,  resfiect  to  equals. 

8.]  0(p.  may  be  considered,  either  as  indicative  or  imperative. 
If  the  former,  the  meaning  is  this :  '  you  owe  nothing  to  any  one 
but  love,'  i.  e.  the  circle  of  your  duties  comprehends  nothing 
more  than  this.  If  the  latter,  (as  is  more  probable,  from  the  pre- 
ceptive nature  of  the  context,)  the  idea  is  this :  '  let  nothing  be 
due  from  you  but  mutual  love ;'  i.  e.  always  consider  yourselves 
as  under  obligation  to  cultivate  love  to  each  other. — Na/t.  ^eir, 
hath  fulfilled  the  law ;  i.  e.  as  far  as  duties  to  each  other  are  con- 
cerned, for  of  such  only  is  the  Apostle  speaking. 

9.]  E<  T/«-  whatever.  Comp.  1  Cor.  VII.  12.  Eph.  IV.  29. 
Phil.  IV.  S. 

10.]  'H  »y. — 5fy.  This  is  evidently  a  meiosis,  wherein  less  is 
expressed  than  is  meant. 

11.]  K«<  TUTo'  Ammon  adds  fixXXev  e(piiX.eTt^  '  to  this  ye 
are  the  rather  bound;'  referring  to  the  duty  just  inculcated. — • 
Macknight  understands  "  I  command,"  making  it  the  introduc- 


Chap.  XIII.]     Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  95 

tion  of  another  precept.  Grot,  and  after  him  Rosen,  render  it} 
esfieciallyf,  firxsertim^  idque  eo  magis. — Erasmus,  idque  cum  scia- 
musy  observing,  "  ut  vim  habeat  exaggerandi,  veluti  cum  dici- 
mus,  scortaris  ?  et  hoc  in  Quadragesima  P"  Comp.  tuvtx  in 
1  Cor.  VI.  8. — Nt;y — cTTir.  Here  Kop.  observes,  that  St.  Paul,  in 
order  to  excite  his  readers  to  the  practice  of  the  above  virtues, 
adds  this  consideration  :  "  that  the  return  of  Christ  to  the  earth 
was  not  far  distant,  and  that  it  would  be  accompanied  by  the  tokens 
of  a  happier  life."  He  refers  to  his  Excursus  H.  on  Thessaloni- 
ans  (see  pp.  11 5  et  seq.),  to  shew,  "  that  the  Apostles  themselves, 
through  the  wise  permission  of  Divine  Providence,  cherished  the 
opinion  and  hope  of  Christ's  speedy  return."  Locke  (note  r)  ex- 
presses the  same  sentiment.  "  It  seems  by  these  two  verses  (11. 
12.),  as  if  St.  Paul  looked  upon  Christ's  coming  as  not  far  off,  to 
which  there  are  several  other  concurrent  passages  in  his  epistles. 
See  1  Cor.  I.  7."  Against  this  opinion,  see  Whitby's  note  on 
3  Thes.  IV.  15.,  and  his  "  discourse  by  way  of  inquiry.  Sec," 
added  to  his  annotations  on  2  Thess.  pp.  488  et  seq. — Macknight 
understands  by  a-ar.  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  and  cyy.  he  takes 
in  the  sense  of  eyyvf  in  X.  8.,  explaining  the  clause  thus :  "  for 
now  the  doctrine  of  salvation  is  better  understood  by  us,  than 
when  we  first  believed."  The  Apostle  is  to  be  considered  as  con- 
necting himself  with  the  converted  Gentiles.— Rosen. 's  view  is 
very  similar.  "  For  now  is  the  knowledge  of  salvation  nearer 
(easier)  to  us,  (i.  e.  we  enjoy  more  assistance  in  understanding 
the  doctrine  of  salvation,)  than  when  we  first  submitted  to  the 
faith  of  Christ."  He  objects  to  Kop.'s  exposition,  as  not  being  so 
well  adapted  to  the  subsequent  context,  and  gives  this  as  the  sense 
of  the  passage :  "  We  ought  to  lay  aside  all  tardiness  in  perform- 
ing the  duties  of  Christian  piety,  more  especially  as  now,  after  the 
lapse  of  so  much  time  since  our  conversion  to  the  faith,  our  kn©w- 
ledge  of  the  doctrine  of  salvation  has  greatly  increased.  Comp. 
hx  Tov  xsofov  in  Heb.  V.  12." — The  increase  of  Christian  know- 
ledge, or  of  the  facilities  of  acquiring  it,  is  certainly  a  sufficient 
reason  for  the  exhortation,  which  is  founded  on  this  consideration ; 
and  the  exposition  suits  the  context.  But  are  there  any  places, 
where  tyyvi;  is  used  in  the  sense  given  by  Macknight  and  Rosen., 
unless  the  context  determine  its  meaning,  as  is  the  case  in  X.  8.  ? 
It  is  there  accompanied  by  explanatory  adjuncts.  The  only  ob- 
jection of  any  weight,  which  appears  to  lie  against  the  above  ex- 
position, is  founded  upon  the  doubly  whether  it  can  be  justified  by 
the  usus  loquendi. — Whitby  considers  the  text  as  referring  to  the 
manifestation  of  divine  favour  to  the  Gentiles,  exhibited  in  the  fer 


96  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  XIII* 

jection  of  the  Jews,  which  was  soon  to  be  illustrated  by  the  ruin  of 
their  city  and  polity,  and  which  the  Apostle  had  before  represented 
as  producing  o-utv^ioc,  to  the  Gentiles.  See  XI.  11. — Why  may 
not  <r«r.  mean  the  happiness  reserved  for  the  pious  immediately 
after  death,  and  »v|  in  v.  12.  the  present  state  of  ignorance,  sin- 
fulness, and  consequent  unhappiness  ?  St.  Paul  will  then  be  look' 
ing  forward  to  the  hour  of  death,  as  to  the  commencement  of  feli- 
city.— In  either  of  these  last  views,  cyy.  will  retain  its  usual 
meaning. 

12.]  Nt^l  and  'tj/^i^cc  must  necessarily  be  explained,  according 
to  the  sense  in  which  the  previous  verse  is  understood  ;  either,  of 
heathen  ignorance,  and  Christian  knowledge;  or,  of  human  im- 
perfection, misery  and  wickedness,  and  future  virtue  and  happi- 
ness. 

13.]  KiyjM,.  and  f^eS.  refer  to  indulgences  of  the  table,  k«it.  and 
«eci-£A.  to  licentiousness  ;  sf .  and  ^v.  are  properly  added,  as  a  con- 
sequence almost  unavoidable. 

14]  Grot,  tells  us,  that  Chrys.  observes,  it  was  a  common 
mode  of  speech  in  his  time,  to  say,  that  one  person  had  put  on  an- 
other, when  the  speaker  intended  to  express  some  intimate  union. 
Rosen,  and  Kop.  quote  from  Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus,  to*  T«f- 
}tv¥iov  £Kuv6v  ev^vef4.(vot ,  for  assuming  the  character,  imitating  the 
example  of  Tarquin.  Comp.  Whitby.  The  context  however 
must  determine  the  particular  meaning  in  each  instance,  when  the 
figure  is  used.  Here  the  sense  evidently  is,  '  become  assimilated 
to  the  character  of  Christ.*  In  Gal.  III.  27.,  where  the  same  lan- 
guage occurs,  it  means,  '  have  embraced  the  religion  of  Christ-' 
Comp.  Morus,  Part  I.  Sect.  II.  Cap.  I.  §  xix.  p.  108.,  where  he- 
suggests  some  cautions  on  the  use  of  parallelism. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

1  1  Toy — uric.  He  who  is  doubtful,  as  to  the  propriety  or  im- 
propriety of  certain  matters,  in  themselves  indifferent ;  who  is  not 
fully  satisfied  respecting  the  liberty  which  Christianity  allows  in 
these  cases. — M>j  en  hxK.  ^<aA.  '  not  to  the  doubts  of  useless  dis- 
cussions ;'  meaning,  '  do  not  receive  him,  with  a  view  of  intro- 
ducing or  perpetuating  useless  discussions  about  doubtful  matters.' 
Atccx.  often  implies  a  bad  sense,  (see  Schleus.  1.),  and  therefore  I 


Chap.  XIV.]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Uomans.  97 

have  employed  the  epithet  useless.  Maeknight  understands  by 
heiy..  strifes.  I  am  not  aware  that  the  noun  hxK^ia-ti  is  used  in 
this  sense.     He  gives  no  instance  of  such  use.     See  his  note  3. 

4.]  K^<v<yy  for  KccrxK^ivuv^  as  is  usual.  St«c1  «  He  shall  stand 
in  the  family."  Locke. — "  He  shall  be  acquitted."  Maeknight. 
Comp.  Ps.  I.  5. — "  His  uncertainty  shall  be  removed."  Rosen. 

5.]  It  is  plain  from  the  context,  and  the  character  of  Roman 
Christians,  that  observance  of  particular  seasons,  which  had  been 
consecrated  by  the  Mosaick  law,  is  here  to  be  understood  ;  not  of 
the  Lord's  day,  which  is  sanctioned  by  original,  divine  institution, 
and  by  apostolick  example.  "  Tlat^x  (says  Kop.)  joined  to  the  ac- 
cusative, has  the  force  of  the  comparative."  He  refers  to  Viger 
de  Idiotismis  Grsecis,  Cap.  IX.  Sect.  6.  and  to  Luke  XIIl.  2.  4. 
Rom.  I.  25. — Uettr.  '*i(i.  i.  e.  <6-»»v,  alike,  meaning,  equally  appro- 
priated to  religious  purposes. 

6.3  Kv^ico-  As  if  St.  Paul  had  said,  '  each  is  governed  by  a 
wish  to  advance  the  divine  honour,  by  pious  and  conscientious 
conduct. 

7.  8.]  Maeknight  renders  tm  Kv^iu  here,  "  by  the  Lord ;"  so 
V.  7.  "  liveth  by  himself,"  and  "  dieth  by  himself."  The  com- 
mon version  and  meaning  are  very  good.  '  It  is  not  for  his  own 
benefit  merely  that  a  man  either  lives  or  dies ;  but  to  advance  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  whose  property  we  are,  whether  living  or  dead.* 
Comp.  Macknight's  translation  of  VI.  2. — The  same  version  of 
'Kv^icfi  in  v.  6.  would  make  nonsense. 

1  l.J  This  is  taken  from  Isa.  XLV.  23.  For  ^<y  tyu,  an  usual 
adjuration,  the  Sept.  has  x«r'  tfixvTa  oy^^vn,  corresponding  with 
the  Heb.  In  other  respects,  the  quotation  agrees  with  the  Sept., 
only  'frxT.  yx.  and  £|.  are  transposed.  E|ejM..  confess  or  profess^ 
viz.  allegiance^  which  is  equivalent  to  swearing  to  or  by.  Comp. 
Ps.  LXIII.  1 1.  The  prophet  is  certainly  speaking  of  the  exten- 
sion of  the  Gospel.  See  the  whole  context.*  The  meaning  is, 
as  Rosen,  on  Isaiah  expresses  it :  "  the  time  is  coming,  when  all 
mankind  will  reject  the  worship  of  idols,  and  acknowledge  and 
adore  the  true  God."  Comp.  the  father  in  Rom.  St.  Paul  ap- 
plies the  text  to  the  concluding  act  of  Christ's  (comp.  John  V. 
22.)  mediatorial  authority  (see  1  Cor.  XV.  28.);  not  at  all  in 
opposition  to  the  prophet's  meaning. 

13.]  Kf/ywjM.£V  x^ivurs.  This  is  a  figure  of  rhetorick,  called 
antanaclasisy  where  the  same  word  is  repeated  in  a  different 
meaning.  Comp.  (pSn^ut  in  1  Cor.  Ill,  17.,  and  see  Glass.  Phil. 
Sac.  Lib.  11.  Tract.  II.  Cap.  III.  pp.  1342  et  seq.     There  is  no 

13 


SfS  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  XIV. 

difficuUy  respectinc;  the  meaning.     K^ivuf^cv  means  condemn  as 
before  ;  k^ivocti,  dclermine,  j-esolve. 

14.]  Ev  through.  Comp.  Matt.  XV.  11. 
15.]  Most  commentators  consider  Xv-rnrut  as  nearly  synony- 
mous with  ccTTo^Xvsy  and  explain  the  first  clause  thus ;  '  if,  through 
thy  example,  thy  brother  is  induced  to  sin  against  his  conscience, 
and  is  thus  subjected  to  the  unhappy  consequences  of  sin.*  So 
Macknight,  Locke,  Whitby,  Kop.,  and  Rosen.  Perhaps  this  is 
the  true  sense.  The  following  however  may  be  proposed  for  con- 
sideration :  '  If  you  are  willing  to  distress  your  brother,  rather 
than  to  make  so  slight  a  sacrifice,  you  do  not  act  as  the  benevo- 
lent religion  of  Christ  requires ;  much  less,  if  you  expose  him  to 
the  danger  of  destruction,  by  leading  him  to  do  what  his  con- 
science disapproves.' 

16.]  Some,  with  Eras,  explain  to  ayxeov  of  a  right  opinion 
respecting  indiflFerent  matters ;  others,  with  Locke  and  Macknight, 
of  Christian  liberty  to  eat  or  not  -,  and  this  seems  to  derive  support 
from  ^^iis-<piif^ii/^cct  in  1  Cor.  X.  30.;  others,  with  Kop.,  following 
Chrys.  and  Theod.,  of  Christianity,  (comp.  ro  uy.  in  VIL  13. 
where  it  is  used  for  the  law,)  thus  :  '  do  not,  by  useless  discussions 
on  unimportant  points  of  this  nature,  and  by  the  contests  which 
must  arise  from  them,  expose  to  contempt  that  good  system  ef 
religion,  which  you  enjoy.*  This  is  probably  the  true  sense ;  it 
certainly  suits  the  next  verse. 

17.]  '  The  religion,  which  the  Gospel  inculcates,  does  not  con- 
sist in  external  observances,  but  in  true  piety,  which  brings  along 
with  it  an  inward  satisfaction.' 

20.]  Rosen,  considers  to  s^yav  m  Gia  as  referring  to  the  di- 
vine determination,  to  extend  the  Gospel  to  all  people,  which 
could  not  be  done,  without  breaking  down  the  division  wall  (see 
Eph.  IL  14)  of  the  Mosaick  economy.  A  scrupulous  observance 
of  the  law,  respecyng  the  use  of  various  meats,  and  a  rigorous 
maintenance  of  its  universal  obligation,  would  prevent  the  disse- 
mination of  Christianity. — Most  probably,  it  is  equivalent  to  exf<»oy 
etTToPi.  in  V.  15.  and  means,  '  do  not  endanger  the  Christian  charac- 
ter of  any  one.'  Macknight,  in  his  commentary,  expresses  the 
sense:  "  do  not  destroy  your  brother's  virtue,  which  is  the  work 
of  God."  In  his  note,  he  explains  £f .  ©£.  by  '*  faith  and  holiness, 
that  which  God  is  working  in  the  heart  of  our  brother."  But  does 
not  the  latter  part  of  his  note  shew  an  adherence  to  system  ?  "  If 
the  Apostle  had  been  speaking  of  persons,  who,  on  account  of  their 
regeneration,  are  called  the  work  of  God,  he  would  have  used  the 


Chap.  XIV.]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  yy 

woi'd  7roii}f4,Xy  as  he  does,  Eph.  II.  10.  Besides,  the  words  so  in- 
terpreted, imply,  that  the  truly  regenerated  may  be  destroyed." 
I  presume,  the  authour  means  to  deny  this ;  is  there  not  then  an 
inconsistency,  in  admitting  that  faith  and  holiness  may  be  de- 
stroyed ?  Does  regeneration,  as  he  understands  it,  imply  some- 
thing more  than  faith  and  holiness  ?  The  argument  from  the  use 
of  vol.  in  Eph.  is  of  no  weight,  as  e^yov  is  quite  as  appropriate. 
This  word  and  kutxXvi  are  both  used,  says  Kop  ,  to  coincide  with 
aiKoS'oi^-^,  V.  19.  He  translates  the  clause  thus  :  "  do  not  tear  down 
what  God  hath  built." — Ucv)tx — es-5«ayrr  '  Although  indeed  all 
kinds  of  food  may  properly  be  eaten,  yet,  if  by  so  doing,  a  man 
acts  contrary  to  the  suggestions  of  his  own  conscience,  he  com- 
mits a  sin  ;'  or,  which  is  perhaps  preferable  :  '  if,  by  so  doing,  he 
induces  another  to  eat,  against  the  convictions  of  a  weak  conscience, 
he  commits  a  sin.'     This  is  sanctioned  by  the  next  verse. 

22.]  For  the  meaning  of  Tnrt^  here,  and  in  the  next  verse,  see 
on  V.  1 . — It  seems  better  to  connect  x.»t»  o-e.  with  the  latter  clause, 
than  with  the  former.  Mxx. — ^ox..  '  happy  is  he,  who  does  not 
condemn  himself,  by  shewing  his  approbation  or  allowance  of  any 
thing,  contrary  to  his  conscience.'  Comp.  the  meaning  given  to 
i'oy.ift.ct^M  in  XII.  2. 

Griesbach,  with  many  distinguished  ciiticks,  introduces  imme- 
diately after  this  chapter,  XVI.  25.  26,  27.  Koppe,  following 
Stephens  and  others,  places  those  three  verses  at  the  end  of  the 
epistle.  Internal  evidence  is  certainly  in  favour  of  the  latter  ar- 
rangement ;  not  because  it  places  the  doxology  at  the  end  cf  the 
epistle,  for  it  was  very  common  to  introduce  doxologies  in  various 
parts,  (see  Eph.  III.  21.  Phil.  IV.  20.  Heb  XIII.  21,  and  Cle- 
ment's epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  §  20.  38.  43.  45.  50.  ad  fin.) 
but  because  the  introduction  of  it  here  interrupts  the  connexion  of 
the  discourse. — Respecting  the  hypothesis  of  Semler,  that  XV. 
XVI.  were  not  a  part  of  the  epistle  as  originally  written  by  St. 
Paul,  nor  intended  for  the  Romans,  but  addressed  to  other  per- 
sons by  the  Apostle,  and  afterwards  connected  with  the  epistle, 
see  Kop.  Excursus  II. — It  is  not  the  design  of  these  brief  notesj, 
to  enter  into  any  discussions  of  this  nature,  or  to  examine  hypo- 
theses, founded  on  imagination,  rather  than  on  historick  evidcijce. 


100  Notes  on  the  E^nstle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  XV*. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

2.]  nf«!  OIK.  explains  en  t«  «y.  '  In  endeavouring  to  gratify 
each  other,  let  us  aim  also  at  mutual  improvement.* 

3.]  Comp.  Ps.  LXVIII.  20.  Sept.  Kop.  considers  the  text 
as  accommodated,  denying  that  the  psalm  relates  to  the  Messiah, 
although  he  allows  that  passages  from  it  are  often  applied  to  him. 
It  rests  with  him  to  firove,  that  the  application  varies  iiom  the  in- 
tention of  the  original  authour.  Rosen,  remarks,  that  the  passage 
is  particularly  appropriate  to  Christ,  and  that  the  Apostle  here 
directs  Christians,  to  imitate  their  leader  and  head,  and  to  bear  re- 
proaches rather  than  act  contrary  to  conscience. 

6.j     T«v  ©.  y.c6i  TTctr.     "  Deum,  qui  idem  pater  est.''     Rosen, 

7.-]  '  Let  both  Gentile  and  Jewish  converts  act  with  friendship 
and  kindness  towards  each  other,  as  Christ  hath  done  to  them.' 
Comp.  V.  8.  9. 

8.  9.]  Either,  St.  Paul  carries  on  the  argument  for  mutual 
concession  and  favour,  from  tl-e  character  and  oflice  of  Christ;  or, 
having  before  mentioned  it,  v.  7.  he  is  led  thereby  to  the  subject  of 
his  epistle,  the  extending  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, the  prominent  idea  in  his  mind.  See  XI.  13. — Atux.  Trt^tr. 
'  a  Jew,  subject  to  the  law.'  Gal.  IV.  4. — Ysr^f  ttxt.  '  to  estab- 
lish the  veracity  of  God,  in  the  fulfilment  of  his  promises,  made 
to  the  patriarchs,'  viz.  to  send  a  Saviour,  *  and  in  causing  the 
Gentiles  to  praise  him  for  his  mercy.'  Rosen,  vmderstands  »^ei- 
Mtv,  and  some  make  the  two  verses  distinct  sentences,  prefixing 
to  V.  9.  icoci  Xtyo). — A;* — •v//«A»'  See  Ps.  XVII.  50.  Sept.  This 
and  the  following  quotations  contain  either  express  assertions  or 
obscure  intimations,  that  the  true  God  should  be  known  among 
the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  by  the  Jews. 

10.  11.]     Comp.  Deut.  XXXIL  43.  Sept.— Ps.  CXVI.  1. 

12.]  See  Isa.  XI.  10.  Sept.  The  general  meaning  of  the 
Hebrew  is  preserved,  although  the  version  is  not  literal.  See 
Macknight's  note  1. — 'H  ^it,ct  and  o  av/y.  no  doubt  mean  the  same 
person;  the  parallelism  makes  this  highly  probable.  The  word 
root  is  often  used  by  the  Hebrew  writers  for  sucker  springing 
from  the  root.  Comp.  Rosen,  on  Isa.  in  loc. ;  or  see  Isa.  LIII.  2. 
Hos.  XIV.  6.  (Heb.,  5.  Eng.),  although  the  meaning  in  the 
latter  is  somewhat  doubtful,  Apoc.  V.  5.  XXII.  16.  and  comp. 
Schleus.  in  pt^cc  6. 

l5-j     It  is  doubtful,  whether  on::o  t^qm  should  be  connected 


i^Iiap.  XV.]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  101 

with  e-y^xi^a,  or  with  roXf^ti^ore^av.  If  with  the  former,  the  mean* 
ing  will  be,  '  I  have  written  in  some  parts  of  the  epistle ;'  if  with 
the  latter,  as  it  most  probably  should  be,  this  will  be  the  sense : 
'  J  have  written  rather  the  more  freely.' 

16.]  'li^a^yavToc.  This  word  has  been  thought  to  prove  the 
real  firiestly  character  of  Christian  ministers  ;  that  they  are  profier 
ie^e'i,  and  have  material  sacrifices  to  offer.  It  is  by  no  means  my 
intention  to  discuss  this  subject ;  I  would  barely  remark,  that  if 
this  be  a  fair  inference,  it  is  equally  fair  to  conclude,  that  the 
Gentiles  are  a  firofier  offering  (ir^eo-^*^ «),  which  I  suppose  no  one 
will  say.  For  the  information  of  the  younger  student  of  divinity, 
I  would  observe,  that  in  the  writings  of  the  fathers,  who  are  usually 
called  apostolical,  the  word  h^tn}  is  never  applied  to  the  Christian 
ministry,  although  frequently  used  for  the  Jewish  priests,  and  in 
Justin  Martyr  and  others,  by  a  figure  (comp.  1  Pet.  II.  5.),  for 
the  whole  body  of  Christians.  The  distinction  between  le^evi  and 
TT^ecr^vTe^og  has  not  always  been  preserved,  even  by  good  transla- 
tors. See  Wake's  apostolical  Fathers,  Clement's  epistle,  §  44. 
47.  57.,  Polycarp's  epistle  to  the  Philippians,  §  5.,  where  v§co-- 
Qvrs^oi  is  rendered  priest,  although  in  other  places  where  the 
same  Greek  word  occurs,  elder  or  firesbyter  is  used.  The  argu- 
ment for  the  genuineness  of  these  venerable  remains  of  antiquity, 
is  weakened  in  the  mind  of  a  vernacular  reader,  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  terms,  in  a  connexion,  in  which  they  were  not  used  during 
the  writer's  age.  This  objection,  among  others,  was  alleged  by 
Daille  against  the  epistles  of  Ignatius,  and  is  shewn  by  Pearson  to 
be  unfounded.  See  Vindicise  Epist.  Ignat.  Cap.  XII.  ad  fin. 
pp.  152.  153.  edit.  Cambridge,  4to.  1672.  Comp.  also  Bishop 
White's  Lectures  on  the  Catechism,  Diss.  VIII,  Sect.  III. — The 
Apostle  here  uses  figurative  terms,  derived  from  the  Jews.  Comp. 
Isa.  LXVI.  20. 

18. J  It  may  be  explained  thus:  '  I  will  not  venture  to  say  any 
thing  of  what  others  have  done  ;'  meaning  probably,  his  disciples, 
or  converts  made  by  him.  But  this  is  improbable,  as  no  one  could 
suppose,  that  the  Apostle  would  speak  of  the  labours  of  others,  as 
honourable  to  himself.  Probably  this  is  the  meaning :  '  I  will  say 
no  more  than  what  Christ  has  really  made  me  instrumental  in 
effccling;  I  will  not  exaggerate  or  deceive.'     Comp.  IX.  1, 

2().]     0<AoT.  relates  to  A<-f  its  antecedent,  v.  19. 

21.]     See  Isa.  LII.  15,  Sept. 

23.]  ToToK  here  may  mean,  '  favourable  opportunity ;'  or 
*  place  of  considerable  extent,  where  success  might  be  expected.' 

24.]     This  passage   expresses   St.  Paul's  intention  to  go  to 


102  Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.      [Chap.  XV. 

Spain ;  that  he  actually  accomplished  his  purpose  cannot  be 

proved.  See  Kop.  in  loc. 

26.]  Kfl/v.  T/v«  Toi.  '  to  make  a  contribution.*  In  this  sense 
the  word  is  used  in  2  Cor.  VIII.  4.  IX.  13.— Comp.  Acts  XXIV. 
17. 

28]  Si^^rty. — TUT.  *■  secured  this  benefit  to  them.' 

32.]  See  Macknight  on  this  verse. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

2.]     tl^to-roirii'  a  patroness. 

5.]  Tjjv — tKit,.  either,  '  their  family ;'  or,  *  the  Christian  body 
worshipping  at  their  house.'  See  Kop.  and  Macknight.  The 
former  supposes  that  Ao-i«j  was  changed  into  Ax'H'H'-i  by  some 
transcriber,  to  whom  it  appeared  improbable,  that  any  Christian 
should  be  called  chief  of  all  jisia ;  not  knowing,  that  «5r.  tjjs 
Aa-toti;  means,  '  one  of  the  first  converts  to  Christianity  in  Procon- 
sular Asia.'     Ephesus  was  its  metropolis. 

7.]  E5r;cr.  £y  tojj  ax.  I  see  no  reason,  with  Macknight  and 
Kop.,  to  translate  this :  '  who  are  in  high  estimation  among  the 
Apostles ;"  the  usual  translation  certainly  expresses  the  meaning 
of  the  Greek,  and  probably  these  persons  were  Apostles.  Comp. 
Bishop  White  on  the  Catechism,  Diss.  X.  pp.  438 — 440. 

13.]  Koti  ef^a  is  expressive  of  affection.  Comp.  Matt.  XII. 
48.  Juhn  XIX.  26.   and  Homer,  II.  VI.  429. 

1 6.]  See  Macknight,  on  the  first  clause  of  this  verse ;  or 
Koppe. 

18.]     A/os  Ttii  )c    x.a.1  i\tX.  '  by  kind  and  flattering  speeches.' 

19.]  The  former  part  of  this  verse  contains  a  motive,  to  in- 
duce the  Romans  to  comply  with  the  preceding  direction.  As  if 
St.  Paul  had  said,  '  this  is  necessary,  in  order  to  maintain  the  rc» 
putation  for  obedience,  which  you  have  acquired.'     Comp.  I.  8. 

20.]  2vvT. — Tuyjr  '  will  speedily  give  you  victory  over  your 
spiritual  foes.'  Sonic  suppose  the  Apostle  to  have  in  view  Gen. 
III.  15. 

22.]  Tertius,  the  amanuensis,  is,  by  some  commentators,  iden- 
tified with  Silas,  because  the  meaning  of  the  words  in  Hebrew 
and  Greek  is  equivalent.  The  opinion,  although  not  improbable, 
has  no  other  foundation  than  conjecture. 


Chap.  XVT.]      Notes  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  lOS 

23.]  Oik.  '  the  city-treasurer.'  Vulg.  "  arcarius."  He  was 
an  officer  of  authority,  and  Josephus  connects  the  word  with  et^x'^v. 
See  Kop.  and  Schleus. 

25 — 27. J  Kop.,  following  Heuman,  considers  these  three  verses 
as  having  been  written  by  St.  Paul  himself,  after  the  amanuensis 
had  finished,  in  order  to  shew  that  the  epistle  was  authentick.  So 
also  Macknight.  Comp.  1  Cor.  XVI.  21.  Gal.  VI.  11.  Col.  IV. 
18.  2  Thess.  III.  17. — Tm  h  Sw.  Some  word  appears  to*  be 
wanting,  to  which  the  dative  may  refer.  Perhaps  V  in  v.  27.  is 
pleonastick,  as  our  translation  makes  it,  or  put  for  uvtm,  as  Mac- 
knight thinks.  Comp.  Eph.  III.  21. — Kxrx  ro  ev.  fty  Comp. 
II.  16.  Locke  thinks,  that  the  expression  is  used  in  reference  to 
something  in  St.  Paul's  preaching,  which  "  distinguished  it  from 
what  was  preached  by  others,  God's  purpose  of  taking  in  the 
Gentiles  to  be  his  people  under  the  Messiah,  without  subjecting 
them  to  circumcision,  or  the  law  of  Moses."  It  is  hardly  con- 
sistent, I  think,  with  the  Apostle's  character,  to  speak  of  himself 
as  the  only  one  who  "  preached  Christ  to  the  Gentiles  as  he  ought 
to  be,"  acquainting  them  with  "  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,"  See 
his  note  (e),  and  comp.  Macknight,  note  I.  If  the  words  "  my 
Gospel"  are  used  in  any  such  sense  as  Locke  supposes,  which  is 
by  no  means  improbable,  it  cannot  be  in  opposition  to  any  imfier- 
fect  or  erroneous  views  which  the  other  Apostles  entertained  j  but 
because  it  was  peculiarly  St.  Paul's  province,  to  announce  to  the 
Gentiles  the  religion  of  Christ,  Comp.  Gal.  II.  7.  By  using  the 
phrase,  he  magnifies  his  office,  XI.  13. — K«4t« — c-£s-<y.  relates  to 
God's  purpose  of  introducing  the  Gentiles  into  his  church.  Comp. 
on  XI.  25.  Locke  (note  §•),  followed  by  Macknight  (note  3),  re- 
fers to  many  passages,  to  shew  that  xi-  «"*''''•  tneans,  "  times 
tinder  the  law."  Not  one,  that  he  alleges,  can  be  proved  to  have 
this  meaning ;  so  that  in  mentioning  this  view,  Kop.  very  properly 
says,  "  Lockii  ratio,  quam  coacta,  et  ab  omni  usu  loquendi  vulgari 
et  biblico  aliena  sit,  quisque  sentiet."  X^.  ex.im.  may  be  rendered 
*  from  remotest  ages,'  meaning,  in  all  preceding  dispensations, 
♦'  since  the  world  began,"  as  our  translation  has  it. — 4)«y. — w^e^. 
Either  thus :  '  which  hath  now  been  made  manifest,  and  through 
the  prophetick  writings  ;'  retaining  t£,  and  putting  a  comma  after 
vt»v ;  or,  S'lx  being  taken  in  the  sense  of  Kocra,  thus :  '  which  hath 
now  been  made  manifest,  according  to  the  prophetick  writings,' 


ESSAY, 


FOn  THE  COirSISXRATION  OF 


t®a®a®®i©Am  ©»w®aif^^§ 


INTENBBD  PBINCIFALLT  FOR  THOSE  OF  THE 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


A  O  the  student  of  divinity,  it  ought  to  be  a  subject 
of  grateful  reflection,  that,  through  the  good  provi- 
dence of  God,  the  facilities  for  a  successful  prosecu- 
tion of  theological  science^  have,  in  this  country, 
within  a  few  years,  been  greatly  increased.  There 
are  some,  among  the  pious  part  of  the  community^ 
who  have  sufficient  intelligence,  to  appreciate  the 
importance  of  judiciously  directed  learning  in  the 
Christian  ministry,  and  sufficient  liberality  to  devote 
a  part  of  their  income,  to  the  promotion  of  an  object, 
so  important  to  every  Christian  society,  as  that  of 
a  well  educated  clergy.  The  duty  which  conse- 
quently devolves  upon  the  student,  in  reference  to 
those  benevolent  individuals  to  whom  he  is  indebt- 
ed, and  chiefly  in  reference  to  him  "  from  whom 
all  good  works  do  proceed,"  is  too  plain,  to  be  sup- 
posed unknown^  It  will  not  however  be  considered 
as  irrelative  to  the  situation  of  the  writer,  or  of  those 
for  whom  he  is  writing,  to  sugsjest  one  or  two  reflec- 

14 


106  Essntf,  for  Theological  Students. 

tions ;  which,  although  doubtless  they  have  often 
been  considered  by  the  conscientious  candidate  for 
the  ministry,  may  still  be  presented  to  him  with 
utility,  it  is  hoped,  even  at  the  risk  of  repetition. 

In  this  country,  few  men,  it  is  presumed,  enter 
the  ministry,  through  pecuniary  considerations.  Ex- 
pectations of  this  nature  cannot  be  greatly  influen- 
tial, because  there  are  very  few  situations,  in  which 
they  can  ever  be  realized.  But  it  is  not  improbable, 
that,  in  some  instances,  other  worldly  considerations 
may  have  too  much  weight.  The  idea  of  respecta- 
bility of  character,  which  is  universally  connected 
with  the  ministerial  profession,  where  the  decencies 
of  life  and  the  benefits  of  Christianity  are  recog- 
nized, may  readily  induce  a  young  man  to  offer 
himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  Gospel  ministry,  who 
has  no  call  to  the  office.  Private  inducements  may 
also  become  the  chief  motive,  in  determining  the 
choice.  It  is  not  intended  to  say,  that  such  consi- 
derations should  never,  in  any  case,  have  any  weight 
at  all ;  certainly  they  may  sometimes  serve  to  de- 
cide the  judgment ;  but  they  should  never  become 
the  paramount  motive.  If  this  be  not,  a  pure  desire 
to  advance  the  glory  of  God,  by  maintaining  and 
promoting  the  influence  of  the  Gospel  on  the  hearts 
of  men ;  if  it  be  not,  a  wish  to  advance  the  ever- 
lasting interests  of  those,  v\ith  whom  the  pastoral 
relation  shall  be  formed  ;  if  it  be  not,  a  real  love  for 
the  souls  of  others ;  it  is  not  to  be  expected,  that 
such  a  candidate  will  be  either  useful  or  respect- 
able. Not  useful,  (1  mean  to  the  spiritual  interests 
of  his  congregation,)  because,  however  accurate 
may  be  his  knowledge  of  theology  as  a  science,  to 
which  criticism  and  history  and  philosophy  become 
tributary,  he  is  ignorant  of  it  as  a  practical  system. 


Essay,  for  Theological  Students.  10f' 

operating  on  the  heart,  and  refining  the  affection?, 
and  sanctifying  the  motives.  In  him  the  uninformed 
finds  no  instructor,  the  inquiring  conscience  no 
guide,  the  lost  sheep  no  pastor.  Through  the  super* 
intendence  of  Providence,  he  may  be  made,  in 
some  degree,  unexpectedly  useful ;  but  such  a  re- 
sult is  not  reasonably  to  be  anticipated.  Nor  is  his 
respectability  any  more  probable.  For,  although  as 
"  God's  ambassadour,"  the  minister  of  Christ  may* 
claim  the  respect  which  is  due  to  such  a  station, 
yet  mankind  will  never  pay  to  the  clergy  that  defer- 
ence which  the  office  claims,  if  their  characters  be 
at  variance  with  its  obligations.  Power  may  indeed 
compel  the  people  to  shew  an  appearance  of  re- 
spect, but  it  is  piety,  ability  to  perform  the  duties 
of  the  office,  and  the  actual  and  careful  performance 
of  those  duties,  which  only  can  elicit  the  honour  of 
the  heart.  And  in  the  present  day,  even  that  weak 
defence  is,  in  a  great  measure,  abandoned.  The 
time  has  been,  when  the  civil  authority  was  glad  to 
shelter  herself  under  the  wings  of  the  ecclesiastical, 
and  there  congratulate  herself  in  the  protection  of 
so  powerful  a  defender.  But  that  time  has  long 
since  passed  by,  and  arrogant  pretension  has  been 
consigned  to  its  merited  contempt.  The  clerical 
character  must  support  itself,  by  the  conduct  of  those 
who  bear  it.  The  office  is  honourable,  but  it  de- 
pends upon  the  individual,  to  make  the  honour, 
which  it  challenges,  personal. 

Both  usefulness  and  respectability,  therefore,  de- 
pend very  much  on  the  character,  which  the  candi- 
date for  the  ministry  shall  hereafter  sustain,  and,  by 
consequence,  on  the  purity  of  the  motives,  which 
govern  his  choice.  His  own  happiness  is  also  closely 
connected  with  this  consideration.     If  there  be  nq 


108  Essay  J  for  Tkeologicul  Students. 

congeniality  of  mind  and  heart  with  thje  occupations 
of  the  life,  disgust  with  those  occupations  must  be 
the  necessary  consequence.     Indeed  I  cannot  con- 
ceive of  any  situation  in  life,  more  uncomfortable, 
than  that  of  a  clergyman,  who  has  no  taste  for  the 
duties  of  his  profession.     He  is  engaged  in  a  con- 
stant series  of  services,  which  are  irksome,  because 
the  heart  is  uninterested.    He  professes,  in  the  pub- 
lick  congregation,  sentiments  of  devotion,  which  he 
never  feels.     He  urges  duties  which  he  never  prac- 
tises, and  inculcates  them  by  motives,  by  the  force 
of  which  he  is  never  influenced.     There  must  be 
true  piety  in  the  minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  in  the 
choice  of  the  profession,  he  must  be  influenced  by 
religious  and  holy  views.  The  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  most  unequivocally  recognizes  the  principle 
of  divine  influence  on  the  mind,  and  brings  it  home 
most  powerfully  to  the  conscience  of  the  candidate 
Tor  holy  orders.     Can  any  language  be  used,  which 
is  stronger  on  this  point,  than  that  of  the  ordination 
service  ?    In  the  office  for  "  the  ordering  of  priests," 
the  address  to  the  candidates  is  made  on  the  pre- 
sumption, that  it  is  the  "  Lord  who  hath  placed 
them  in  so  high  a  dignity ;"  and  it  declares,  that 
they  "  cannot  have  a  mind  and  will  thereto  of  them- 
selves, for  that  will  and  ability  is  given  of  God  alone." 
And  in  the  same  service,  the  question  is  put,  "  do 
you  think  in  your  heart,  that  you  are  truly  called, 
according  to  the  will  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
this  ministry  .''"     A  similar  inquiry  also  is  made  in 
the  form  for  "  the  ordering  of  deacons." — "  Do  you 
trust  that  you  are   inwardly  moved   by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  to  take  upon  you  this  oflice  and  ministration, 
to  serve  God  for  the  promoting  of  his  glory,  and 
the  edifying  of  his  people  .^" — It  is  suifjcient  to  ask, 


Essay ^  for  Theological  Students,  109 

what  must  be  the  state  of  that  candidate  for  so  ho- 
nourable and  holy  and  responsible  a  station,  who,  in 
the  presence  of  God  and  his  church,  replies  in  the 
words,  "  1  trust  so;"  while  to  such  ^'  inward  motion 
of  the  Holy  Ghost"  he  is  utterly  a  stranger  !  I 
would  not  attempt  to  analyze  the  moral  feelings  of 
such  a  man,  nor  to  describe  the  lamentable  state  of 
the  unfortunate  congregation,  which  is  destined  to 
Undergo  so  great  an  affliction,  as  that  of  being  sub- 
jected to  his  ministrations, 

I  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  make  any  apology^ 
for  introducing  here,  the  sentiments  already  ex- 
pressed. The  pious  student  will  appreciate  the 
motive  which  suggests  them,  and  he  who  hus  in- 
considerately begun  the  study  of  divinity,  with  the 
intention  of  entering  the  Christian  ministry,  may 
perhaps  be  induced  to  pause,  and  to  consider,  whe- 
ther he  really  is  called  by  God,  to  assume  so  respon* 
sible  a  character. 

The  young  man,  who,  under  the  influence  of  the 
motives  which  have  been  urged,  looks  forward  to 
the  clerical  profession,  will  indulge  me  in  remark- 
ing, that  it  is  highly  important,  to  come  to  the  study 
of  theology,  properly  prepared.  Much  vexation  is 
occasioned,  and  much  time  lost  by  many,  owing  to 
precipitancy.  Young  men  of  ardour  of  mind,  are 
anxious  to  become  actively  engaged  in  the  ministry. 
To  obtain  orders  in  the  great,  and  apparently  the 
r.Uimate  object  of  their  wishes.  Far  be  it  from  me 
to  check  the  enthusiasm  of  real  piety.  But  let  it 
be  governed  by  judgment  and  reflection.  Suppose 
the  applicant  to  receive  orders,  on  the  very  day  of 
the  canonical  age,  and  to  be  aljle  to  begin  his  du- 
ties as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  immediately  after 
he  is  twen(y-one.     it  is  very  possible,  that  he  may 


110  Essay,  for  Theological  Students. 

be  well  qualified  at  this  age.  But  this  depends  much 
upon  the  preparation  he  had  made,  in  literary  and 
scientifick  pursuits,  before  he  commenced  his  course 
of  theological  studj.  If  his  preparation  was  imper- 
fect, his  acquisitions  in  theology  must  be  imperfect 
also,  and  his  ability  to  prepare  for  the  duties  of  the 
Lord's  day,  proportionably  inadequate.  What  is  the 
cause  of  complaints^  which  are  often  heard,  of  the 
pressure  of  pulpit  duty  ?  In  many  instances,  it  is 
the  want  of  thorough  preparation  for  entering  the 
ministry.  With  regard  to  real  usefulness,  what  is  the 
difference,  whether  a  candidate  enters  the  ministry 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  or  twenly-five  ?  Supposing 
him  to  exercise  his  office  till  he  is  sixty  years  of  age^ 
the  difference,  on  the  one  side,  is,  in  point  of  time, 
four  years  in  thirty-nine,  and  on  the  other,  how  vast 
an  advantage  must  those  four  years  well  employed 
in  devotion  and  study,  give  to  the  well  qualified 
clergyman !  The  reflecting  mind  will  not  require 
me  to  point  out  the  vast  superiority  of  the  latter. 

When  suitable  preparation  has  been  made  to  be- 
gin the  study  of  theology,  let  the  candidate  for  the 
ministry  apply  himself  to  the  Scriptures  in  the  ori- 
ginal languages.  His  knowledge  of  Greek  should 
enable  him  to  read,  and  grammatically  analyse  the 
Testament  ad  aperiuran}  libri.  Let  him  acquaint 
himself  with  the  Hebrew  language,  which  is  now  a 
much  less  arduous  task  than  it  was  ten  years  ago, 
as  the  facilities  for  acquiring  it  have  greatly  in- 
creased Without  it,  he  cannot  understand  the  idi- 
oms of  the  New  Testament,  nor  enter  into  the  spirit 
of  innumerable  places  in  the  Old.  1  do  not  mean 
to  say,  that  the  whole  of  the  Scriptures  must  be 
read,  in  the  originals,  before  the  candidate  can  be- 
come qualified  for  orders :  I  mean,  that  it  is  highly 


Essay,  for  Theological  Students.  Ill 

desirable,  to  possess  such  a  knowledge,  as  shall  en- 
able the  student  to  examine  for  himself,  and  to 
form  an  opinion  on  the  various  criticisms,  which 
have  been  offered,  on  obscure  passages.  The  Scrip- 
tures are  the  w«rd  of  God,  communicated  to  man, 
and  they  are  intended  to  be  understood  by  him. 
As  might  reasonably  be  expected,  they  partake  of 
the  character  of  those  writings  with  which  they  are 
contemporaneous,  and  of  those  persons  with  whom 
they  were  vernacular.  A  vast  number  of  the  diffi- 
culties which  now  perplex  the  reader,  arise  from 
the  different  associations,  which  have  been  pro- 
duced by  a  lapse  of  nearly  seventeen  centuries  and 
a  half,  since  the  last  book  of  the  inspired  volume 
was  written,  together  with  all  the  changes  which 
varieties  of  climate,  character,  customs,  and  lan- 
guage, must  necessarily  effect.  It  should  be  the 
object  of  the  student,  who  would  understand  his 
Bible,  to  divest  himself,  as  far  as  possible,  of  all 
those  views  and  feelings  which  spring  from  modern 
associations,  and  to  enter,  as  intimately  as  possible, 
into  the  views,  feelings,  principles,  modes  of  think- 
ing and  speaking,  which  prevailed  among  those,  to 
whom  the  sacred  books  were  originally  addressed. 
In  other  words,  he  should  put  himself  in  their  place. 
This,  it  must  be  confessed,  is  no  easy  matter,  as  it 
requires  a  considerable  knowledge  of  antiquities, 
and  somelimes,  no  small  share  of  critical  acumen. 
It  is  not  supposed,  that  the  time  which  is  usually 
devoted  to  preparation  for  the  ministry,  will  enable 
him  to  do  this.  The  study  of  the  Bible  must  engage 
a  part  of  his  attention  through  life.  Much  how- 
ever of  the  ease  and  satisfaction,  with  which  he 
will  pursue  his  studies  after  he  has  entered  the 
ministry,  depends  upon  the  degree  of  improvement 


ll^  Essdy,  for  Theological  Stude^iis. 

which  he  had  made,  previous  to  ordination.  If  his 
acquisitions  in  Theology  had  been  slender,  he  will 
find,  that  the  necessary  duties  of  a  parish  will  en- 
j^ross  all  his  time,  and  instead  of  making  gradual 
and  certain  improvement  in  his  profession,  it  will 
be  difficult  for  him  to  prepare  for  his  Sunday  duties, 
with  satisfaction  to  himself,  and  profit  k)  his  congre- 
gation. Let  him  then  resolve,  to  enter  the  ministry 
tolerably  well  prepared ;  let  him  devote  at  least 
three  years  to  his  studies,  before  he  applies  for  ad- 
mission. Thus  he  will  have  time,  to  reflect  often 
and  seriously  on  the  o:  ject  of  his  pursuit,  and  to 
lay  a  solid  foundation  for  future  usefulness.  Low 
and  imperfect  indeed  must  be  that  view  of  this 
most  sublime  object,  which  supposes,  that  it  can  be 
reached  with  certainty  and  success,  in  half  the  time 
which  is  required,  by  the  ordinary  occupations  and 
professions  of  life.  It  is  trusted,  that  a  subject  so 
important  to  the  interests  of  religion,  and  so  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  welfare  of  our  church, 
will,  in  due  time,  engage  the  attention  of  our  ec- 
clesiastical authorities. 

To  the  young  clergyman,  who,  after  a  careful 
preparation  for  his  office,  has  undertaken  the  charge 
of  a  parish,  it  is  unnecessary  to  remark,  that  a  por- 
tion of  every  day  must  be  devoted  to  his  studies. 
Various  circumstances  must  have  their  influence  in 
determining  his  arrangements ;  but  let  a  portion  of 
his  time,  judiciously  devoted,  be  sacred  to  the  ori- 
ginal Scriptures.  Nulla  dies  sine  versu  will  pre- 
serve his  knowledge  of  Hebrew  and  Greek,  and 
requires  nothing  but  resolution  and  habit,  which, 
it  is  to  be  presumed,  will  have  been  gained  by 
preparatory  studies.  Let  him  form  a  plan,  adapted 
to  the  nature  of  his  situation,  and  let  him  pursue 


Essay ^  for  Theological  Students,  IIS 

it  steadily,  not  prostituting  his  consecrated  hours  to 
light  or  desultory  reading.  It  is  asked,  by  some 
reviewer,  "  what  would  a  Newton  or  a  Barrow  say, 
to  see  the  morning  table  of  a  mathematical  student, 
strewed  with  lounging  pamphlets  r"  The  question 
is  certainly  not  less  appropriate,  in  reference  to  the 
theological  student.  The  advantages  which  must 
arise  from  pursuing,  for  a  few  years,  a  well  arranged 
course,  need  not  be  pointed  out.  It  increases  the 
respectability  of  the  clergyman,  enlarges  his  field 
of  usefulness,  supplies  him  with  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  pulpit  instruction,  makes  him  a  blessing  to 
his  parish  and  an  honour  to  his  profession,  and  pre- 
pares him  for  increased  usefulness  in  whatever  sta- 
tion in  the  church,  its  great  Head  and  Lord  may 
place  him. 

It  was  not  my  original  intention,  to  make  the 
foregoing  observations  a  part  of  this  essay  ;  and  it 
is  hoped,  that  the  reader  will  consider  this  as  a  suf- 
ficient apology,  for  the  want  of  connexion  between 
them,  and  those  which  are  to  follow.  Two  or  three 
remarks  on  certain  peculiarities  of  expression,  oc- 
curring in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  which  were  thought 
to  throw  some  light  on  a  few  places  in  the  epistle  to 
the  Romans,  were  all  that  was  at  first  contemplated. 
To  avail  myself  of  an  opportunity  of  suggesting  to 
the  student  of  divinity,  reflections  which  ought  to 
interest  him  deeply,  was  the  motive  which  led  me 
to  introduce  what  is  above  written. 

The  remarks,  which  I  had  in  view,  are  these. 

1.  It  ought  to  be  constantly  considered,  and 
particularly  in  the  examination  of  such  passages  of 
the  Bible,  as  seem  to  ascribe  human  wickedness  to 
divine  influence  (comp.  Rom.  IX.  18.),  that,  in  the 
language  of  Scripture,  God  is  said  to  do,  what  he 

16 


114  Essay i  for  Theological  Students. 

merely  permits  to  be  done,  or  what  takes  place  ir» 
the  regular  course  of  his  providence ;  and  actions 
are  ascribed,  not  only  to  their  immediate  agents, 
but  also  to  others,  who  may  be,  in  some  way,  con- 
nected with  the  performance  of  them. — ^To  eluci- 
date and  strengthen  this  observation,  let  a  few  pas- 
sages be  attended  ta.     Such  as  have  no  connexion 
with  polemick  theology,  are  selected  in  preference, 
as  least  likely  to  be,  at  all,  influenced  by  the  preju- 
dice ©f  early  education.     It  is  said  in  Gen.  III.  21. 
"  Unto  Adam  and  to  his  wife  did  the  Lord  God 
make  coals  of  skins,  and  clothed  them."    Will  any 
one  suppose,  from  this  language,  that  the  Supreme 
Being  himself  was  the  artificer  ?    Surely  not.    The 
meaning  is,  as  given  by  Dodd  and  Patrick,  "  God 
instructed  our  first  parents,  by  some  means  or  other, 
to  make  themselves  clothes,  of  the  skins  of  beasts;" 
they  "  were  made  by  God's  direction."     Thus  also 
Le  Clerc,  in  his  note  on  this  text ;  "  Hoc  est,  unde 
tunrcse  fieri  deberent  docuit,  seu  voce,  seu  Provi- 
dentiae  tacito  ductm ;  vix  enim  putem  Deum  con- 
fectas  tunicas  ad  eos  misisse.    At  Uebrsei  saepe  Deo 
afxitrug  tribuunt,    quibus  efficiendis  et  aliae   inter- 
venere  causae.    Vid.  2  Sam.  XVI.  10." — In  the  Jew- 
ish cede,  after  the  law  making  murder  a  capital 
ofi"ence,  the  statute  is  in  these  terms  (Ex.  XXI.  13.): 
"  if  a  man  lie  not  in  wait,"  if  he  has  not  planned 
nor  designed  to  murder  his  fellow-creature,  "  but 
God  deliver  him  into  his  hand ;"  that  is,  evidently, 
if  he  kill  him  through  accident,  "  the  holy  Scrip- 
ture ascribing  to  the  Lord  of  life  and  death,  whose 
providence  is  over  all  his  works,  all  such  events  as, 
in  common  language,  are  called  accidentaV^  Dodd. 
— Similar  phraseology  is  used  with  respect  to  Jo- 
seph:  "  the  Lord  gave  him  favour,  &c."  Gen. 


Essay^  for  Theological  Students.  115 

XXXIX.  21.;  and  of  Daniel:  "  God  had  brought 
him  into  favour,  &c."  Dan.  1.  9.;  the  effect  being 
attributed  to  divine  agency^  which,  most  probably, 
was  produced  by  the  qualities  of  the  Hebrew  youths, 
the  expression  piously  intimating  the  source  of  those 
qualities. — Another  illustration  of  the  remark  is  pre- 
sented in  the  prophecy  of  Zechariah,  VIII.  10, 
^  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts :  before  these  days, 
there  was  no  peace  to  him  that  went  out  or  came 
in,  because  of  the  affliction ;  for  I  set  all  men,  every 
one  against  his  neighbour."  The  absurdity  of  in- 
ferring from  this  place,  that  God  is  the  immediate 
authour  of  discord  and  confusion,  is  too  glaring  to 
be  admitted,  since  these  evils  spring  from  the  vi- 
cious tempers  of  our  nature.  The  text  altributjes 
to  God,  what  his  providence  permits  to  take  place. 

in  analogy  with  language  of  this  kind,  the  pro- 
phets are  often  said  to  do,  what  they  merely  predict. 
Thus  Jacob,  of  his  sons  Simeon  and  Levi  (Gen. 
XLIX.  7.) :  *'  I  will  divide  them  in  Jacob^  and  scat- 
ter them  in  Israel;"  that  is,  I  foireteU  their  disunion 
and  dispersion.  So  in  Ezek.  XXXII.  18.  "  wail  for 
the  multitude  of  Egypt,  and  cast  them  down," 
meaning,  '  predict  their  downfaU,'  as  it  follows  (v. 
20.),  "  they  shall  fall  in  the  midst  of  them  that  are 
slain  by  the  sword." — Stronger  still  is  the  Jaaguage 
in  Jerem.  1.  10.  "1  have  set  thee  oyer  the  nations 
and  over  the  kingdoms,  to  root  out,  arad  to  pull 
down,  and  to  destroy,  and  to  throw  down,  to  build 
arkl  to  plant."  The  sense  is,  that  God  gave  the 
prophet  a  commission,  to  predict  the  destruction  of 
some  kingdoms,  and  the  establishment  of  others. 
Comp.  Hos.Vl.  8. 

2.  In  Scripture  language,  a  thing  is  said  to  be 
doncj  in  order  to  produce  a  certain  result,  whe© 


116  Essay ^  for  Theological  Students. 

that  result  is  not  the  chief  object  of  the  act,  but 
only  in  some  degree  associated  with,  or  dependent 
on  it,*  and  sometimes,  a  part  only  of  the  motive  or 
efficient  cause,  is  expressed. — This  is  illustrated  by 
Luke  XIV.  10.  "  When  thou  art  bidden,  go  and  sit 
in  the  lowest  room,  that  (»>«)  when  he  that  bade 
thee  Cometh,  he  may  say,  friend,  go  up  higher." 
It  is  plain,  that  our  Lord's  direction  to  take  a  low 
situation,  was  not  in  order  that  the  person  might  be 
advanced,  although  his  promotion  is  spoken  of,  as 
resulting  from  his  occupying  the  humble  station. — 
So  in  John  V.  20.  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son,  and 
sheweth  him  all  things  that  himself  doth ;  and  he 
will  shew  him  greater  things  than  these,  that  (Ivu) 
ye  may  marvel."  No  one  can  imagine,  that  the 
design  of  Christ's  miracles  was,  to  excite  surprise, 
and  make  the  Jewish  populace  wonder ;  doubtless 
it  was  to  produce  and  establish  their  faith.  Yet, 
since  their  admiration  and  astonishment  would  be 
excited,  this  is  mentioned  as  if  it  were  the  object, 
for  which  they  were  wrought. — In  Matt.  X.  34.  we 
read  our  Saviour's  declaration,  that  he  had  not 
"  come  to  send  peace  on  earth,  but  a  sword,"  to 
promote  domestick  jealousies  and  quarrels.  It  is 
quite  unnecessary  to  prove,  that  the  chief  purpose, 
lor  which  Christ  came  into  the  world  was,  to  pro- 
mote peace ;  first,  between  God  and  man,  and  then 
among  all  the  members  of  the  human  family  ;  and 
it  is  undeniable,  that  where  the  Gospel  is  cordially 
received,  such  will  be  its  effects.  Still,  our  Lord^ 
foreseeing  that  in  consequence  of  its  partial  recep- 
tion, animosities  and  dissensions  would  spring  up, 
persecutions  and  violence  be  excited,  speaks  as  if 
these  effects  were  to  be  ascribed  to  his  Gospel, 
when,  in  reality,  they  resulted  from  human  passions. 


Essai/,  for  Theolugieal  Students.  117 

The  tendency  of  his  system  was  indeed  pacifick, 
but  the  wickedness  of  its  opposers  caused  it  to  give 
rise  to  contention  and  bloodshed, — The  denuncia- 
tion of  divine  judgments  on  Jewish  rulers  in  Malt. 
XXI 11.  34.  is  a  striking  instance  of  this  phraseology. 
"  I  send  unto  you  prophets  and  wise  men  and 
scribes,  and  some  of  them  ye  shall  kill  and  crucify, 
and  some  of  them  shall  ye  scourge  in  your  syna- 
gogues, and  persecute  them  from  city  to  city ;  that 
upon  you  may  come  all  the  righteous  blood,  shed 
upon  the  earth."  Can  any  one  suppose,  that  the 
object  of  the  Saviour  in  sending  these  messengers, 
by  whom,  no  doubt,  Apostles  and  other  teachers  of 
the  Gospel  are  intended  to  be  understood,  was,  to 
overwhelm  the  Jews  with  iniquity  and  ruin  ?  But, 
as  this  would  result  from  the  rejection  and  [)orsecu- 
tion  of  these  messengers,  and  is  therefore  associated 
with,  and  dependent  on  the  sending  of  them,  the 
effect  is  ascribed  to  the  remote  cause.  Comp.  John 
IX.  39. — To  illustrate  the  latter  clause  of  the  re- 
mark, see,  among  many  instances,  1  Tim.  I.  16, 
where  the  cause  which  is  assigned,  why  St.  i'aul 
obtained  mercy,  by  no  means  excludes  other  causes. 
Comp.  also,  in  reference  to  the  much  disputed  sub- 
ject of  regeneration,  John  I.  13.  111.  5.  1  I'et.  I  3. 
23.,  where,  what  is  said  in  one  place  of  one  cause, 
is  not  at  variance  with  what  is  elsewhere  said  of 
others,  since  each  assigned  cause  must  be  consi- 
dered as  having  its  own  appropriate  influence,  and 
suited  to  its  nature,  in  producing  the  result.  The 
asserting  of  the  agency  of  one,  by  no  means  ex- 
cludes the  agency  of  another. 

3.  When  any  thing  is  mentioned  in  Scripture, 
which  appears  to  derogate  from  the  honour  or  well 
known  attributes  of  God,  it  is  reasonable,  to  admit 


118  Essay  J  for  Theological  Students, 

such  suppositions,  as  will  vindicate  the  divine  cha- 
racter and  government.  The  application  of  this 
remark  should  be  cautiously  exercised,  because  of 
tlie  great  imperfection  of  our  knowledge  of  the  Su- 
preme Being.  The  remark  however  is  correct,  and 
if  judiciously  applied,  will  be  found  beneficial.  The 
holy  Scriptures  display  in  the  fullest  degree  the  di- 
vine perfections ;  they  develop  the  holiness  and 
majesty  of  the  Deity,  in  the  most  conspicuous  man- 
ner. No  Heathen  philosopher  ever  spoke  of  the 
Godhead,  like  the  inspired  writers;  whatever  can 
contribute  to  perfection  of  character,  they  ascribe 
to  him.  If  now,  this  their  general  statement  seems, 
in  any  instance,  to  be  contradicted,  it  is  rational,  to 
adopt  such  suppositions,  as  will  reconcile  the  parti- 
cular case  to  this  statement.  The  observation  de- 
rives additional  force,  from  the  remarkable  brevity 
of  the  sacred  writings,  which  has  led  to  the  omis- 
sion of  circumstances,  which,  if  introduced,  would 
have  elucidated  a  difficult  passage ;  from  the  pecu- 
liarity of  their  idioms,  in  consequence  of  which, 
many  parts  are  abstruse  to  us,  which  were  perfectly 
intelligible  to  vernacular  readers ;  from  the  anti- 
quity of  the  writings,  the  habits  of  the  people  to 
whom  they  were  first  addressed,  and  from  various 
other  causes.  Let  the  remark  be  illustrated  by  an 
example  or  two.  Exod.  IV.  25.  describes  the  cir- 
cumcision of  the  son  of  Moses.  The  first  impres- 
sions produced  on  the  reader's  mind,  are  those  of 
extraordinary  severity.  But  the  brevity  of  the  nar- 
rative, the  character  of  the  parties  concerned,  and 
the  usage  of  Scripture  language,  sanction  the  sup- 
position, that  the  omission,  on  the  part  of  Moses, 
had  arisen  from  a  culpable  cause ;  and  make  it  not 
improbable,  to  say  the  least,  that  God  had  before 


Essay  J  for  Theological  Students.  119 

warned  him  of  the  danger,  which  would  attend  his 
continued  neglect. — Num.  XV.  32 — SQ.  contains  an 
account  of  the  severe  punishment  of  stoning,  being 
inflicted  on  the  "  man  who  had  gathered  sticks  up- 
on the  Sabbath  day."  Here,  it  is  necessary  to  sup- 
pose, either  that  the  person  was  a  notorious  offender, 
or,  in  this  instance,  had  acted  in  contempt  of  God's 
institution ;  or  else,  that  the  maintenance  of  the 
divine  honour,  made  it  necessary  to  punish,  with 
the  utmost  severity,  the  first  open  violation  of  the 
law. — It  is  necessary  to  keep  in  view  the  same  prin- 
ciple, together  with  that  which  is  implied  in  the  last 
remark,  when  we  read  of  God's  sending  upon  certain 
characters  "  strong  delusion,  that  they  should  be- 
lieve a  lie"  (2Thess.  11.11.);  the  supposition  be- 
ing perfectly  natural,  that,  by  their  previous  guilt, 
they  had  involved  themselves  in  the  deepest  ini- 
quity, and  incurred  the  most  deplorable  of  all  pun- 
ishments.—In  Matt.  Xlll.  12.    Mark  IV.  25.    Luke 

VIII.  18.  we  read:  "  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall 
be  given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abundance  ;  but 
whosoever  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away, 
even  that  he  hath."  The  same  language  occurs 
(Matt.  XXV.  29.)  in  the  conclusion  of  the  parable 
of  the  talents,  as  a  reason  for  giving  the  one  unim- 
proved talent  to  him  who  had  ten,  who  is  called  a 
"  good  and  fahhful  servant."  In  both  cases,  the 
supposition  must  be  made,  of  improvement  on  the 
one  side,  and  of  neglect  on  the  other,  of  what  had 
been  committed.  Were  there  nothing  in  the  context 
to  suggest  the  sentiment,  it  would  still  be  too  obvi- 
ous, to  escape  notice. 

The  first  and  third  of  the  above  remarks,  may  be 
applied,  to  the  elucidation  of  such  passages,  as  Rom. 

IX.  18.   How  can  God  be  said  to  harden  men  ?  The 


120  Essay,  for  Theological  Students. 

usual  language  of  Scripture  answers  the  inquiry , 
he  suffers  them  to  become  obdurate,  by  allowing 
them  to  follow  their  own  propensities.  Here  the 
first  remark  applies.  If  it  be  asked,  why  he  suffers 
this,  in  any  particular  instance  ;  the  answer  is  given, 
on  the  supposition,  that  the  party  had  rendered  him- 
self unworthy  of  the  divine  clemency,  and  involves 
the  consideration  connected  with  the  third  remark* 

Such  passages  as  Rom.  XI.  30.  31.  32.  are  eluci- 
dated by  the  second  remark.  See  the  notes  there ; 
also  on  11.  12. 

To  be  well  versed  in  the  peculiarities  of  Scrip- 
ture phraseology  and  sentiment,  is  the  best  method 
of  removing  difficulties,  and  of  ascertaining  the 
truth  of  God's  word.  Should  the  preceding  pages 
be  found  useful,  in  this  respect,  to  the  candidate  for 
the  ministry,  the  labour  of  the  writer  will  be  abun- 
dantly compensated. 


THE  END. 


ERRATA. 

Page  15.  line   8.  for  og*3-.,  read,  o^ia-^. 

16.         11.  from  bottom,  for  hendyadis,  read,  hendiadys. 
19.  26.  for  QtoToyui,  read,  &eoTvyu!. 

—  28.  for  hater,  read,  haters. 

26.  10.  from  bottom,  for  tense,  read,  sense. 

29.  8.  for  paid,  read,  paid." 

—  note,  for  presumable,  read,  to  be  presumed 
40.  3.  from  bottom,  for  E*',  read,  ep'. 

80.         15.  for  authorized,  read,  unauthorized- 
93.  5.  for  ffv/uitv.,  read,  a-uyxv. 


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